


Love Like Winter

by princesssparklesparkle



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alcohol, Denial of Feelings, Field Trip, Fluff and Smut, High School, Lemon, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Sexual Humor, Sexual Tension, Shizaya - Freeform, Shizuo's birthday, hotel shenanigans, sexual dreams, ski resort, some OC's added for plot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-02
Updated: 2017-01-22
Packaged: 2018-06-06 00:05:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 36
Words: 144,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6728704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/princesssparklesparkle/pseuds/princesssparklesparkle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rajin High students are on a class field trip to a ski resort in the mountains. Shizuo starts to experience some strange dreams involving a certain flea, and Izaya continues to get on Shizuo's last nerve, only trying to get closer to his favourite monster. Shinra's making sexual innuendos and Erika can't keep her mouth shut.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!v I've finally made an account for AO3, so I'll be posting here as well as keeping up with FF. This is my first fanfic, so bear with me...This story is always being revised, so if you notice any typos let me know! I'm always open for suggestions for future chapters, so don't be shy, I'd love to hear from you ^_^  
> While more chapters are on FF, I will be posting frequently on here until we are all caught up. These chapters I will be posting are the new and improved chapters! I'm going through and revising chapters 1-20 right now. Stay tuned!  
> I do not own Durarara!! or any of the characters.

 

_ Izaya _

"That should be everything," I clapped my hands in a dusting motion, looking down satisfied with my work.

I smiled thoughtfully, looking down at the neatly organized suitcase. I had packed it so that I would be bringing a decently manageable amount of bags with me, keeping in mind that I would be away for a while.

Hauling the luggage with me, I made my way to the kitchen downstairs. I popped a slice of bread in the toaster and checked the clock on the microwave. 6:05, it read, and I was making good time.

_ "-no I sent them in last week...All the files were attached...Okay...I'll be there in an hour." _

I heard my mother's muffled voice behind the door as she entered the room, an annoyed expression on her features.

Ever since her promotion to vice president, her bluetooth had become another extremity. For weeks now, I've had a lingering feeling of an additional silent member in the room, constantly watching the for the little light to flash under her dark hair around her ear.

"Come on, honey, I can't be late for work! I have a meeting!" she yelled up the stairs, tiredly.

Leaning against the counter, munching on my toast, I sat back to watch my parents' daily routine.

"Morning, mother" I said with a mouthful, emotionlessly.

"Izaya?" she jumped in surprise and confusion, not expecting my presence. "What are you doing awake? It's a Saturday?" she said, puzzled, but double checking her wristwatch.

"I have my class trip today, remember?" I said, already prepared for her response.

"No," she said as she continued to rush around the kitchen to make herself her morning coffee. "Can't say that I do."

My mother was more or less a kind person, from the moments we spent together, although brief. She was a hard worker, in fact her job took up most of her life. I imagined it was difficult helping manage a large business, while still trying to involve herself in the life of her three children. That is, when she and my father were home.

"Oh..." I looked down at the floor.  _ What a surprise... _ "Well you paid for it. We're going skiing."

"Oh really?" She continued to fumble with the creamer as she poured it in the scalding drink.

"Yes, I'll be gone for three weeks," I stated very matter-of-factually.

"That's nice dear..." She responded absentmindedly to the conversation I knew she hadn't been paying attention to.

" _ Shirou _ !" She called up the stairs once again, "We need to  _ leave _ ! I have 45 minutes!"

I heard shuffling coming from the staircase. My father walked into the room wearing one of his best suits, looking like the proper, stereotypical business man he was. My mother hurried over to fix the tie he was fumbling with.

He too, was a supportive father; financially at least. My feelings toward him were indifferent, since he was rarely here.

_ "Tch."  _ I clicked my tongue out of earshot _. Really, you wear a suit almost every day of your life and _ still _ can't tie a tie? _

"I'm going to need a ride to school this morning," I said, glancing over to where my parents were standing.

My mother looked up as if she was hearing me for the first time.

"But it's Saturday?" My father looked at me questioningly.

I sighed, refusing to recite the previous unnoted conversation again.

"Izaya, honey, I can't take you, I've just been informed I have a meeting in one hour and I have to drop your father off at the airport for his business trip."

"You can't drop me off on the way there?"

"It's in the opposite direction sweetie, you know how busy mommy and daddy are. Let's be reasonable."

_ God forbid you take a ten minute detour. _

"It's not that far of a walk." She cupped my face with her hands. "Besides, the exercise will be good for you, ne, Izaya?" She beamed a smile and pecked me on the forehead.

I blinked apathetically in response.

"We'll see you later, son. You're the man of the house while I'm gone. Take care of your sisters," he called as he made his leave, waving at me from the hall.

"Goodbye, dear," my mother's voice followed him out the door. "Have fun with your class!"

And then they were gone.

I rolled my eyes and picked up my cell phone that had been charging on the counter and dialed a frequently used number. The dial tone rang it's tired, monotone resonance as I looked down at the city through frost-tinted glass. Faint flurries that fell from the grey heavens began to dust the windowsill.

"Good morning, this is the office of Ikebukuro Taxi Services, how can we help you?"

"Ah, yes, good morning, indeed."

* * *

 

_ Shizuo _

"Shizuo, you're  _ sure _ you packed everything?" she asked for the umpteenth time, hesitating to lock the door behind her. She hadn't quite yet adjusted to the fact that I would be away for the remainder of the month. "If you left anything you won't be seeing it for three weeks, you know."

"Yeah, mom. I'm almost 18, I think I know how to pack my bags myself," I sighed, mentally double checking that I did, in fact, grab the essentials.

We hurried into the car that had been preheating while we loaded my pair of suitcases into the trunk. I really didn't see the need to pack that much stuff if there was a laundromat there. The only necessary things to bring were a hat and winter coat.

My class had been partaking in a fundraiser for cancer in the fall, and managed to come in at first place, in turn winning us a trip to a ski resort this January. I guess they figured it was also a great way to send off the senior class too, as well as use up the small remainder of our budget. The part that I didn't understand though, was how we had managed to make all that money for charity, yet somehow it reciprocated into profiting ourselves...? But I guess it really didn't matter now, did it?

Staring out the window I noticed snow flurries beginning to fall against the windshield.

"Oh look! This must be a good sign!" I could have sworn my mom was more excited about the trip than I was, though I knew she hated the thought of sending one of her sons away. But this kind of thing was special for my small family. Opportunities like this were rare.

I smiled to myself at her attempted encouragement. "What are you and Kasuka gonna do while I'm gone?" I asked, still watching the falling flakes melt on the pane of glass.

"Well, family is still here from the New Year, so I suppose we'll spend some more time with them...Oh, but don't worry about us, we'll manage." She looked over smiling warmly.

If there's one thing you should know, it's that I love my mother. She's always been the most supportive person in my life, being a single mom and all. She's got enough love in her for two people, that's for sure.

We arrived at the student drop-off at Rajin High. I noticed the other students arriving were also equipped with suitcases and duffle bags among other luggage, all looking like they have never been so enthusiastic about going to school in their life.

I shut the trunk and turned to face the small woman staring up at me with watery eyes. I smiled sympathetically and bent down to kiss her on the cheek. "It's too cold to be crying, mom. I'll be okay. I promise to call when I can." I say hugging her one last time.

We said our goodbyes and I started making my way over to meet up with the my other classmates, when I suddenly felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

It may have very well been the cold gust of air that swept around me, but the  _ feeling _ was undeniable.

There, in the corner of my eye, he sat blending in among the crowd of students, looking right at me with that stupid smirk plastered across his face. If you didn't know him, he'd look like your average school creep, but if you did know him...you  _ knew  _ he was your  _ above- _ average school creep. Tch, it was too early to deal with this shi-

"Shizuo! Wait up!" A voice that sounded much too enthusiastic for 7:36 a.m. called from behind. In the brief moment I let my gaze drop from the crowd where he was standing, I looked back to see the space absent of his presence.

_ Bastard... _

"Morning, Shinra." I still held a glare at the vacancy and turned to face my longtime friend.

"Are Kadota and Izaya here yet?"

"Tch. Why do you even associate with that  _ insect _ anyway?"

"Good morning, ladies~." As if on cue, the cloy chime of his voice sang behind me.

"Morning, Izaya!" Shinra said a little too cheery for the hour.

"Ne, Shizu-chan, do you have to go to the restroom or something? You're looking a bit tense this morning~." His voice hushed on the last words as he smirked.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that, flea?!" I turned around, snapping at the man before me.

He jumped back quickly, putting his hands up in defense as he chuckled. "My, my, someone's  _ definitely _ not a morning person." He narrowed his brows and grinned. "Dually noted."

"Shut up you little louse, before I kick your ass into next week!"

"Oooo~ how scary," he cooed sarcastically. "I'm shivering with fright!" He wrapped his arms around himself, faking a shudder.

_ Always so damn dramatic, this one. _

I took a step forward rolling up my sleeve, and Izaya rolled his eyes.

Before I could wipe that stupid smug look off his face, Shinra stepped in attempting to hold my arm back as well as blockade my path to the flea. "As heated as this argument is getting,  _ I'm _ freezing my ass off. Can we go  _ inside _ the building please?" I shot one final glare at the smaller man in warning.

"So where's Dotachin?" Izaya mused as we entered the school's foyer.

Suddenly my pocket vibrated. I took out my ancient looking, orange flip phone that read [1 New Message].

"Shizu-chan, why do you still  _ have _ that dinosaur?" he questioned, chuckling his nasally chuckle. "Or is it like they say...hmm what was it?" he said, tapping his chin in pretend thought. "'The older the phone, the more indestructible it is'? Perfect for a monster like you, ne?"

"It's from Kadota" I said flatly trying to ignore the comment.

"What's it say?" Shinra asked looking over my arm to try to read the small characters.

I read aloud:

“Sorry I’m running late. I had errands to run. You guys owe me…”

"What does he mean we'll " _ owe _ " him? What's he talking about?" Shinra said, and I was just as lost as he was on this one.

Beside him, a wide grin formed on Izaya's face.

_ Should have known he was involved... _

"And what exactly do  _ you _ know about this?" I glowered.

"Who _ me _ ?" He pointed to himself before glancing around with an innocent look on his face. "I have no idea whatever you are talking about."

The sound of the first bell rang, interrupting my interrogation.

"Ah, what a shame, and things were just about to get interesting...See you on the busses~!" He stroked the air in a waving motion before skipping in the direction of his classroom.

"...I think he knows something." Shinra stated a-matter-of-factually.

"It's the flea! He _ always _ knows something!"

Thankfully our homerooms were sorted in alphabetical order so I didn't have to spend the entire homeroom listening to the flea's smart-ass remarks. And even better, "H" through "K" was in the same room, so Kadota and Shinra are both in my class.

The teacher went through attendance, stopping at "Kyohei Kadota".

"Um, he should be here any minute, maybe the bad weather is slowing him down...?" Shinra said to the teacher, hoping to excuse his tardy.

_ Not a good day to be late, Kadota _ , I thought to myself.  _ Whatever you're doing- _

My thoughts are interrupted when he busted through the door.

"Sorry about that Mr. O, the snow’s comin' down hard!" He explained himself casually.

"Ah yes, very well, take your seat...Now that everyone is here, we are just waiting for the bell to signal leaving for the buses" the teacher instructed.

"Where were you?!" Shinra whispered in a parental tone as Kadota took his seat at our table. "We might have left without you already!"

"I can't explain right now. I'll tell you when it's more...private," our friend replied in a hushed tone.

The bell rang and we all started carrying ourselves as well as our belongings out to the parking lot. As the three of us got on the bus, I looked around to notice that a certain louse wasn't on board.

"Looks like Izaya is on a different bus than us," Shinra noted as well.  _ Good riddance. _

We made our way to the back. Students as well as teachers, chaperons and luggage were all packed like sardines.

After the clamor had settled down, Shinra and I both looked at our friend expecting an answer.

"I still can't tell you, there's too many people, plus Izaya isn't here either. Once we get to the trains I'll spill, I swear."

We agreed to his terms, after all, it was only a ten minute bus ride to Ikeburkuo Station.

Upon our arrival, Mr. O made one more announcement. On the train we will be sitting four to a cabin. And our groups had already been chosen for us. The teacher walked to the back. "You three plus Orihara-kun," he said turning away.

"Wait, why is he stuck with us?! We don't want him!" I said, "Can't you stick him with like...those guys?" I pointed over to a rather nerdy crowd playing with graphing calculators. Right up his alley, right?

"Sorry, but no one else wanted him in their group either, and since you are the only three I see talk to him on a daily basis..." he said leaving to move on to the next group.

" _ Fuck! _ " I hissed under my breath.

"Shizuo, it's two hours, you can do it." Shinra assured me patting me on the back.

"Plus I've got some good news to make up for it," Kadota beamed a grinned.

_ I doubt anything can make up for the flea's presence... _

We exited the buses with all of our belongings and made our way out of the clusters of students before seeing a scrawny-ass flea skipping toward us.

"My fellow groupies! Oh, how I've missed you!~" He teased and ran up hugging Kadota from the side.

"Woah, Izaya, personal space!" He tried pushing the raven off. "I've especially missed  _ you _ , Shi-zu-chan~" he sounded out the syllables in my name slowly, looking up over his shoulder with catlike eyes that match his cheshire grin.

I felt my body get hot with rage. "You little bastard-" I growled.

"Wow, um, okay, two hours you guys!" Shinra said, clapping his hands together. "Please let us live that long then you two can go at it all you want at the resort,” he said coyly. “For the sake of my health and Kadota's, just be civil. Two hours is all we are asking." He stepped in between me and Izaya who is still clinging on to Kadota's side.

I needed a cigarette. Badly. Even though I'd only recently started smoking, I had noticed it's one of the few things that could calm me down.

I took a deep breath. "Fine. But tell him to stop doing things that piss me off!"

"You just make it too easy~!" Izaya said sticking his tongue out.

I really,  _ really _ needed a cigarette.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are a little slow moving right now, and these chapters are much shorter than the ones to come. Once things start heating up and there is a stable setting, I'll start to add more dialogue. This is just getting our little group of high schoolers all settled in (✿╹◡╹). As for now, bear with me.

_ Shizuo _

We boarded the train with our belongings and made our way towards an empty cabin. Stowing away our bags in overhead compartment, we took our seats and waited for the departure from our beloved city.

_ Two hours. I can do this. Just don't lose your cool... _

I decided to take the window seat hoping to sit as far away from the flea as possible, but of course, he took the opposite window seat in front of me. He opened his laptop, the familiar sound of the login screen chimed and he began clicking away. Shinra shared the booth with Izaya, and Kadota closed the door behind him, sitting next to me.

"Now spill." I demanded.

He looked around one more time to make sure there were no eavesdroppers and hovered closer to the three of us. "I had to make a couple final deals before leaving," he breathed out the words in a whisper.

In the corner of my eye, I noticed Izaya briefly pause to smirk before returning to type.

"What do you mean  _ 'deals' _ ?" Shinra asked skeptically, accusingly.

"Oh come on, you guys haven't forgotten about Shizuo's 18th birthday coming up, have you? I thought I'd bring us a few...party favors." He shrugged passively, as if it were nothing.

"Shit, you didn't?! What happens if we get caught?!" I stated. There's no telling what could be in those bags of his sitting a mere two feet beside me.

"What exactly...did you get?" asked Shinra nervously.

"Just some booze," he said nonchalantly. "Nothin' too heavy."

The smirk on the man next to him formed into a full cheshire grin, but Izaya was still focused on his laptop.

"What the hell were you thinking?!" My words came out in a whispered hiss.

"Hey it wasn't even my idea, it was Izaya's,” he crossed his arms as if he had expected the complete opposite reaction from us.

We all looked over at the raven sitting in the corner typing away. He stopped to look up and meet the three of our gazes.

"I was just thinking of how much fun we would all have together~,” he said feigning innocence. “Don't you wonder what would happen if you got a monster tipsy?" he said, locking his mischevious, crimson gaze with mine..

I couldn’t help it when my hand reached for the collar of his shirt, pulling him eye level. He grabbed his laptop before it could clatter on the floor.

"You little shit, you're going to get us expelled!" I spat close to his face.

"Come now, Shizu-chan. I merely suggested it,” he rolled his eyes, not at all phased by my violent reaction. “Dotachin made the decision to go through and buy everything," he stated matter-of-factually.

"Let's think about this rationally," Shinra interjected. "There  _ is _ a possibility we won't get caught. After all, we'll be stuck in the middle of the mountains...As long as no one else knows, I think we will be okay," he tried to reassure the rest of us as well as himself.

My grip loosened on Izaya's shirt as I tried thinking over Shinra's logic. I knew everyone would keep it on the down low, but I had an inkling that Izaya made no promises to keep his mouth shut.

"Tch," was all I had left to say, as I pushed the raven back into his seat.

I sat back in my chair crossing my arms, counting down in my head.

Izaya resumed his typing; Shinra was reading a book on the history of early medicine; Kadota had his headphones in, asleep; I was watching out the window at the passing scenery. We sat in silence with the hum of the train's engine as white noise.

I checked the time on my phone, about an hour had gone by since we left the station. Snow was steadily falling and sticking now, the tops of trees and other plants were starting to be dusted with a thin layer of white resembling powdered sugar.

"I'm gonna go find the bathroom," Shinra said getting up from his seat.

Before closing the door behind him, his gaze swept between me and the flea. "Try not to kill each other while I'm gone," he said and shut the door.

I looked at Izaya, who looked back at me and then over to our sleeping friend. Smiling that wicked smile as soon as Shinra was out of sight, our eyes met once more. "Ne, Shizu-chan..." he began. "We should mess with Dotachin while he's napping." Slitted eyes look over the body beside me.

"Tch. Why do you  _ always _ feel the need to start trouble?" I reprehended.

"Dunno," he sighed leaning back in his seat, hands stretched behind his head. "It makes things interesting, I guess,” he replied apathetically. “Why do you  _ always _ feel the need to ruin my fun?"

"Dunno," I returned. "Why do you always feel the need to ruin people's lives?"

"I like to live an exciting life,” he shrugged. “Why don't  _ you _ try branching out on your hobbies?"

"Maybe because unlike  _ you _ , I actually respect people," I scoffed. "Guess you don't know what that's like, huh?"

"What makes you think I don't?" he smirked.

"What makes you think I would?"

"Are we playing 20 Questions, Shizu-chan?" he changed the subject, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. "Who was your first kiss?" he asked with a sly smile, narrowing his brows.

“W-what?!”  His sudden question caught me off guard and I couldn’t help but react, feeling my face grow hot with a little more than just anger.

"Ne, are you blushing? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to  _ embarrass _ you..." he smirked as he spoke. "Or is it because you haven't been kissed yet?"

I felt my body begin to tremble. Who the hell even asks that?!

"It's okay Shizu-chan, I understand...Who would want to kiss a monster anyway?"

* * *

 

_ Izaya _

In seconds I felt myself being ripped up from chair. My head hit something hard, and it wasn't until my vision focused did I realize, I had been pinned against the cool glass of the window. The blonde had an unbreakable hold on my throat, and I coughed as I felt my windpipe being crushed by his monstrous strength. I met his raging caramel eyes, but my smirk remained unwavering as my brows knit together in disgust at his close proximity. His face was just a few inches from mine, voice was a low growl and I felt the warmth of his breath ghost my skin.

"I'm  _ NOT  _ a monster," he spoke slowly, as if he thought I wasn't capable of understanding Monster dialect.

I forced a smile. “And I suppose this strength of yours is entirely human, ne?" I choked out.

His grip only tightened.

I've always known it to be a sensitive topic to him, but it was all part of winding him up and watching him go.

He leaned in closer and I noticed the everlasting crease between his brow and vein bulging above his temple.

"This is exactly why no one wanted  _ you _ to be in their group!" His words were like ice, chilling me to the bone, causing me to catch my breath-or rather what breath I could take with the blonde's hand wrapped around my throat.

_ No one, huh? _

I heard the click of the sliding door behind the beast towering in front of me. I tried to gaze over Shizuo's shoulder, but the brute was was blocking my vision.

"I thought I told you guys  _ not _ to kill each other?" Shinra said taking the empty seat, sounding more impassive than patronizing, picking up his book once more.

_ Welcome back, Shinra... _

I fell to the floor coughing, trying to send air back into my lungs.

"Yeah, well, then flea started to talk," I heard Shizuo grunt as he turned around.

"Honestly, you need to work on your self control, Shizuo."

The blonde scoffed as if the brunette was making any sense at all.

I used the seat beside me as leverage to regain my balance. Sitting down, I reached my hand up to where Shizuo had his death lock on me.

_ I certainly hope that doesn't leave a mark... _ I thought sarcastically with a smirk, hinting for the opposite.

"Anyway," Shinra said interrupting my thoughts, "I spoke with one of the chaperons. She said that we will be arriving at the station ahead of schedule. About 20 minutes until we're there."

"Good. The sooner I'm not breathing the same air as the louse, the better," he said, sinking into his seat like a pouty kid.

“Enjoy suffocating, then,” I chimed merrily in a raspier voice than I had expected.

We spent the remainder of the time in silence again.

_ This is exactly why no one wanted _ you  _ to be in their group... _ The dumb blonde’s words kept repeating in my mind. He was no one to talk though.

When the train arrived at the station, we woke up Kadota and gathered our things.

I stepped out of the train into the practically empty station, and joined the remainder of our class who were gathered around a large map where our teacher stood.

"We'll take the town buses to get to the resort. Everyone stay with your groups until we get there," were the directions.

The ten minute bus ride to the resort was full of buzzing teens. Everyone was more awake now, anxious to finally reach our destination.

I watched out the window observing the town that couldn't even be considered a one-hundredth of the size of Ikebukuro. I looked closer at the scenery as we passed by. Cafes and tea shops were on every corner; family restaurants between little boutique stores. Everything about the little town was quaint and I sensed it's peacefulness. People were hurrying to cross the street, carrying umbrellas to shield themselves from the falling snow, and children were running around in hats and mittens chasing each other with snowballs.

_ I wonder what the people are like here... _

Lights were still wrapped around lamp posts and wreaths still hung on shop doors from the holidays. The town made for a perfect winter wonderland.

I noticed a rather large building ahead, up a hill that didn't quite fit in with the rest of the town. As we emerged closer, I saw recreational signs that read "Ski Resort".

The resort looked even more massive up close. A sizable, triangle shaped and heavily windowed building with a portico indicated the main entrance.

We pulled into the parking lot, disturbing the thick layer of fresh snow that blanketed the ground covered in partial tire tracks and footprints. The winters here were certainly much stronger than back at home; the snow must last several months longer out of the year to keep the resort up and running.

The bus came to a halt in front, under the overhang of the glassy pyramid building. Behind this bus stopped two more. The lot of students and teachers began exiting the vehicles.

As I stepped out, I felt the chill of the crisp, dry air hit my skin. I took a deep breath through my nose, the fresh air cleansed all impurities from the air I was used to inhaling from our heavily polluted city. Everything here smelled so...clean and new and pure. The adrenaline of a fresh start coursed through my veins, already getting used to the new environment. I was starting to feel the excitement of what was to come.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! LLW Chapter 3 will be posted shortly!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Congratulations for making it to the resort, welcome, welcome, everyone!  
> I'm trying to update these as quickly as possible, so there might be a couple more chapters out tonight, since these ones are so short!  
> Thank you for the compliment about the scenes with our main protagonist's families! I hope you guys find that they stay in character throughout the rest of the story :) Enjoy the chapter!

_ Shizuo _

Stepping off the bus, I felt the cold breeze slice through my thin jacket, straight to my skin. I exhaled, seeing the hot fog from my breath in the cool winter air. The snow beneath my feet was fresh and soft, with an almost inaudible crunch, as I walked over to where Mr. O had called the students to meet to give us brief instructions.

"As you all know," he began, "we will be spending 3 weeks here, at the resort. Seeing as most of you all are old enough to take care of yourselves, we the chaperons, have agreed to let you all enjoy your visits, but we request you check in with at least one of us if you decide to go into town.”

He looked around at the group of teens who were to anxious to hold focus, but continued:

“If there is an emergency, our numbers are being passed around on the paper with the resort rules and regulations. Which brings me to rule number one," he continued, "use the buddy system at all times? The resort is very spacious, and you wouldn't want to get stuck out here in the mountains all alone.” He eyed us all once over as if he already knew what was bound to happen, going against his better judgement.

"Rule number two, all students must be back at the resort by 10 pm and in the rooms by 11 pm. No exceptions...Which brings me to the rooming situation. You have all been put in assigned groups, correct?"

_ Oh no. _

"The groups you sat with this morning-"

_ Here it comes. _

"-will be the same people you will room with."

_ “Dammit!”  _ I hissed under my breath, feeling my blood start to boil.  _ There’s no way in  _ hell  _ I can room with _ him! _ Not for three fucking weeks! _

"However, there will only be two to a room, and the other two members of your group will either room next door or across the hall."

I sighed in relief, thanking all that was holy.  _ I might be able to survive after all... _

"Now rule number three, probably the most important of all. Boys stay in the male rooms, girls in the female rooms. Do I make myself clear?"

He sighed, already knowing that that rule would be the first to get broken and he was really putting too much faith in a bunch of teenagers.

He continued to go down the list, but I just tuned the rest out.

I looked around at my fellow students, not very many were paying attention either. Most were just itching to get inside the building.

_ Why the hell are we standing out here in this cold anyway? _ I wondered, not that the cold really affected me.

Since I was taller than a majority of my class, it was easy to gaze over the crowd. I found Shinra standing to the right of me, but closer to the front, looking over the list of rules diligently as they were being read aloud. Next to him was Kadota, earphones in his ears, playing with his phone. I also spotted the flea to my far left in the middle of the crowd looking around too, probably even more bored than me. My nose subconsciously scrunched as if the breeze were carrying his flea smell all the way over to where I was standing.

Our eyes met and he was looking directly at me, his ruby orbs burning straight through me, and I felt a shiver run through my body. I froze, not knowing if I should break his hold, make a face, or wait until he looked away. Of course, he flashed the most complaisant smirk, then suddenly he...he winked at me?! I quickly averted my gaze, but in the corner of my eye I saw him laugh quietly to himself before resuming his observation of his surroundings.

_ Shitty louse pisses me off... _

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I flipped it open, seeing a message from Kadota.

Kadota: [You and I can room together. Shinra says he'll stay with Izaya.]

I responded with, [OK.], not really being one to talk via text message.

Around me, the crowd started to move forward so I quickened my pace to meet up with Shinra and Kadota. Suddenly a flash of raven hair jumped right in front of me with his foot out to trip me, making me skid on my heels to avoid contact.

"The fuck, flea?!" I snarled.

"I think we should room together," he stated, and it was the most ridiculous thing I had ever thought I had heard come out of the flea’s mouth.

"Come again?!" I said a bit taken back, believing I had misheard him.

"I want to room with you, Shizu-chan," he repeated in the same, all-knowing tone as before.

"You're joking?" I snorted before turning to walk away.

"I want to room with you," he said again, following too closely for his own good.

"Like  _ hell _ I'll room with a louse like  _ you _ !" I pushed past him.

Something grabbed my wrist before I could get very far. Even if I could easily take my arm out of his grasp, it still nagged me that he was being so persistent. I really must have been in a dream. A really fucked up dream.

"Please? I'll be on my best behavior!" he assured me innocently. I don’t think I had ever heard him address me this way, and I was too flabbergasted to even respond coherently. All I knew was that the little shit was up to no good.

"Why the  _ fuck  _ do  _ you _ want to room with  _ me _ ?!" I finally forced the words out, obviously disturbed at the idea.

"It would be fun, ne?" he shrugged, as if he really expected me to believe that bullshit of an excuse.

"I said no!" Snatching my arm away, I resumed walking toward the doors with the flea hurrying to meet my long strides.

_ Great now he's not gonna leave me alone about it. Once he gets something in his mind, there's no changing it. _

But  _ why _ , I wondered.  _ Why would he even suggest something like that? _

"Why not?" he protested.

"Because I can't stand you? I'm already staying with Kadota,” I said in a gruff voice, seriously annoyed.

"Aww, no fair! When did Dotachin ask you?" he whined.

Before I could answer, we caught up with our other friends.

"Dotachin, you're rooming with Shinra. Shizuo says he wants to room with me~."

"What?!" I shouted in disbelief. "I  _ did _ not say that, damn flea! Stop lying!"

There's no way I could even wrap my head around the idea of sharing a small space alone with someone like  _ him _ . It would only give him more chances to piss me off.

It only made me wonder what the fuck kind of sick plot he was concocting.

* * *

 

_ Izaya _

We entered the resort through the grand entrance. Not only was it exceptional from the outside, but the interior was equally as marvelous.

The entire front half consisted of different sized triangle windows to match the shape pyramid shape of the lobby. The room was bright due to the snow outside reflecting the sun into the transparent walls.

The furniture in the lounge consisted of several different sized white couches, a glass coffee table in the middle, and a fluffy, white rug beneath it all. Behind the lounge area, was one very large, grey, stone, fireplace, reaching all the way to the top of the ceiling. Candles were on just about every flat surface, and combined with the gas lit fire burning in the fireplace, the room was filled with a cozy warmth. The sweet aroma of sandalwood filled the large space, welcoming us further in.

A large, multi-layer fountain was stationed in the middle of the foyer. In it were little, white, floating candles and the loose change representing individual wishes of previous stayers.

Above us were open balconies looking into each of the 12 floors. On the first and second floors, I could see white doors spiraling around the large lobby. In every corner were a pair of glass elevators, slowly rising and falling as families of all sizes waited for their turn.

I continued to look around at the elegant room. Despite being as spacious as it is, it had the perfect amount of elements to make one feel at home.

Our teacher dealt with the check-in while other chaperons were going around distributing room keys to the large group of students clustered in the lobby. I was handed mine; the small golden envelope read the numbers "1222". I look over my shoulder at Shizuo's envelope reading "1221".

"Shizu-chan, let me stay with you," I asked, turning to face him again, in a serious manner.

"No, flea, stop bothering me about it. You're getting on my nerves!" he growled, but there was a hint of something other than annoyance when he spoke, and I was curious to find  out what it was.

"But Shizu-chan," I insisted, "Shinra might try dissecting me in my sleep or something! Have a heart!" I said dramatically.

"Hey!" Shinra interjected.

"Just drop it already! It's not happening!" he said with his back turned as he walked. I could see past the discomfort in his expression, he was starting to redden. I wasn’t sure if it were really just anger anymore.

We all walked down the hall, and I was able to catch a glance at what looked like a dining area and kitchen, all matching the same theme of white on white with candles on each table. We reached the elevators, waiting as small parts of our large group took turns going up, though some of the more impatient students dared to make the twelve story hike up the stairs.

Kadota, Shinra, Shizuo and I entered the elevator with a few more students, all gossiping about what they would be doing first. We reached the 12th floor and followed the signs that would direct us to our rooms through the halls of abstract carpentry.

I stood in front of a white door with the numbers, "1222" in elegant gold lettering. Sliding the key card into the lock, a green light flashed unlocking the door.

The walls were, as I guessed, a snow white. Two neatly made queen beds were spread with white sheets, pillows, and a grey quilt. As I took a closer look, the quilt had tiny sequined snowflakes all over it. In front of the pillows sat a stack of folded white towels, and on top, a towel folded into an animal resembling a swan.

Between the beds, was a glass nightstand with an elegant lamp. Hanging on the wall above it was a framed abstract grey and white painting by an unknown artist. On the adjacent wall, was a wide flat screen TV that could swivel to face the beds or the couch in the opposite corner. Below the television was a large, white dresser with black knobs and handles with a modern finish.

In one corner of the room was a kitchenette; black granite counter tops that had various flecks of another stone sparkling through were matched with a black mini fridge and other kitchen appliances. White cupboards and drawers resembled the rest of the theme.

I continued looking around the fancy suite, venturing into the perfectly matched the western style bathroom. I discovered the sink and counter the same as that in the kitchen. The combined shower and bath had a misty curtain and shiny, almost clear, glass tiles lined the walls.

Walking back into the main room, Shinra was putting away his things in the closet.

I fell back on the other bed staring up at the ceiling fan.

"Aren't you going to start unpacking, Izaya?" he asked.

"Hmmm...No, I think I'll go visit next door."

I walked across the hall, rapping on the door  a few times before Kadota answered it.

"Hello, neighbor~," I greeted happily, letting myself into a room identical to the one I'd just come from, but with a window view.

"Hey. Did you already finish unpacking or something?" he wondered, shutting the door behind me.

"Quite the opposite, actually." I plopped down on one of the beds. "I really don't see the point in it if I'm just going to be changing rooms anyway."

Kadota chuckled, rolling his eyes. "You know he's never gonna agree, right? Why do you even want to stay with him, that’s kind of...odd," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Silly Dotachin, you think I don't know that? Worry not, it will happen. So don't get  _ too _ comfortable here," I smiled. “Besides, it’s a secret.” I grinned flashing my teeth, already excited about the idea.

"Whatever, Izaya." He laughed it off.

"Speaking of which, where is the idiot?" I asked.

He sighed. "He was still feeling annoyed from the train ride, so he stepped out for a cigarette. You know how he is."

"That I do,” I nodded, sounding distant. “Ironic isn't it? We come here because we won a fundraiser  _ fighting _ cancer, and here he is on his way to becoming a patient." I laughed at my own logic.

"Yeah, well that's Shizuo for ya," Kadota said shaking his head, looking out the window.

"What about me?" the tall blonde walked into the room closing the door quietly, in a much more human way that I would have liked, behind him.

He turned around to face Kadota and I. His eyes narrowed when he saw me.

"What are  _ you _ doing here? Didn't I tell you you can't stay with me?!"

"That cigarette didn't really help much with your attitude, now did it?” I smiled condescendingly, kicking my feet idly as the hung off the bed. “Perhaps a nap will do you some good," I said, patting the space next to me.

"Get. Out." He pointed at the door he'd just walked in.

"I was just leaving, actually. My lips pulled to a slight frown, as I responded flatly. His attitude was such a bother sometimes. It was no fun when he wasn’t throwing a fit like he normally did.

As I walked past him, it was like one of those scenes in the movies where everything goes into slow motion for a second.

The scent of tobacco filled my nostrils, the smell made my stomach knot in disgust. Fury swarmed in those honey coloured eyes as they glared back down into my crimson ones, pure of hatred. That same look that always sent shivers down my spine. I merely sneered back, only making his brows knit tighter in annoyance as we passed each other.

_ Until next time, Shizu-chan... _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading the update! I hope you liked it ^_^ feel free to leave feedback or suggestions if you have any. I'm all about looking for ideas to include in this story, and I'll see what I can do about your requests.  
> Until next time~


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing some more of your favourite DRRR!! characters! You have Erika to look forward to from here on out. She's certainly going to spice things up~  
> Speaking of spicy, right about now is when our beloved blonde gets his first 'mysterious dream' about a certain nemesis ;)  
> Again, once things really start to settle down and there's a flow, it'll be easier to write about ^^;  
> Enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

The door behind me shut softly. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath, letting my nerve fibers relax. Entering the room, I grabbed my bags and tossed them on one of the beds, starting to sort through clothes.

_ I guess now's the best time to unpack than any. _

"So what is it with you two?" Kadota said breaking my concentration.

"Isn't it obvious?" I asked, hanging up some shirts, holding back the bite in my words. "His life goal is to piss me off as much as he can before I die. I hate him."

"Any idea why he wants to room with you so badly?"

"Tch, probably to attempt murder or frame my suicide.” I grumbled at the thought of it.

“I don’t think he’d go that far,” the brunette chuckled.

“Yeah well...I'm sure he'd do anything to make these three weeks hell for me." I replied.

"Haha, you're probably right...Still though, he seems pretty certain he'll change rooms to be with you, don't you think?"

"I won't let that happen,” I said firmly. “He can play all the sick games he wants, but I won't let him win. Not this time."

After getting settled in, the remainder of the night was spent mostly in the room, only going out to briefly explore the downstair to find the small sushi bar for takeout. Kadota brought his gaming system so the night was spent battling each other and different bosses.

Surprisingly we hadn’t heard from Shinra nor Izaya, which was the best news I had not received all day. We were all tired from the trip over here anyway, it was for the greater good that Izaya hadn’t made another appearance.

At around 11 o’clock, we decided enough was enough if we wanted to be awake the next day. It felt good to lay down, even though we had been lounging around for hours.

I closed my eyes, tired from staring at the TV screen. My body was sinking into the tempurpedic cushion, and I hadn't realized how tired I must have really been to fall asleep almost as soon as I hit the pillow.

_...A sweet smell filled my head as a gentle, warm breeze brushed against my face. I felt unusually heavy though, like my body was paralyzed, or I was too weak to lift my own arms. It was completely dark so I couldn't see what was pinning me down. _

_ I inhaled that wonderful scent again, opening my mouth slightly welcoming the taste. It smelled like some type of luxurious tea brewed from a forbidden fruit, but I sensed a hint of mint masked behind the aroma of citrus. _

_ Suddenly, breaking my train of thought, I felt a soft brush against my barely separated lips. It paused for a moment, then came back with a little more force. I tried to move but my arms wouldn't let me. I tried to open my eyes but to no avail. _

_ What seemed like cold, slender fingers began to circle around my collar bones. _

Wait when did my shirt come off?

_ I started to turn away but a hand gently grabbed my hair turning my head back. My heart started to beat out of my chest as soft lips were crushed against mine. I felt myself break into a cold sweat before all the sudden, it stopped. Everything stopped. _

_ I opened my eyes slowly, one at a time, letting them focus in dim lighting around me. A dark figure loomed above me with a wicked grin on its face. _

_ It hadn't been the first time I've dreamt of being kissed, nor will it be the last. But the thing that separated this one from the rest were the pair of glowing red eyes staring back at me... _

Waking with a start, my eyes flew open to see nothing but your average dark hotel room as I struggled to catch my breath. No creepy shadows lurking in the corners, nothing.

Yanking the hot covers sticking to my skin off, I rolled over fumbling a hand for my phone on the table at the bedside. The bright light of the screen blinded me for a few seconds before the numbers "4:28a.m." come into focus.

I sat up hanging my legs off the side of the bed, capturing my breath again, as my heart still pounded in my ears. Using the palm of my hand, I wiped away some of the beads of sweat on my forehead.

I got up and made my way to the bathroom, splashing my face with cold water in the sink. My gaze focused on the tired reflection in the mirror. Bringing a hand up to my lips, I could still feel them being pressed against his...

I shook my head, turning off the light and returning back to bed. It took a while before I finally fell back into a restless sleep.

I didn't really remember much of waking up this morning, it was all kind of a blur, being half asleep. But there I was, downstairs at a table with Shinra, Izaya and Kadota in the dining area with a large pile of pancakes in front of me. I took a sip of my coffee, burning my tongue and lips, but was too tired and numb to care.

_ Those lips... _

"-izu-chan. Earth to Shizu-chan.” The raven was snapping his fingers in front of my face.

I blinked away from my daze, coming back to my normal self and glared at him.

"What?" my eyes narrowed, and my tone wasn’t nearly as venomous as I had intended.

"You've been staring at me for the last ten minutes, Shizu-chan, and as flattered as I am, it's starting to creep me out," he chuckled darkly, not sounding creeped out at all. His eyes wondered curiously over my tired self, sizing me up.

"Oh, uh..." was all I could lamely respond with.

"Did you sleep last night Shizuo? You look like a zombie or something," Shinra said taking a closer look at me from across the table.

"I just...had a weird dream was all. Uh, what time is it?" I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"9:30. What about this dream though? What was so weird about it?" Shinra inquired, straightening up in his chair, giving his full attention.

"Forget about it," I said flatly, standing up. "I'm going to get some more coffee.” Even though I hadn’t even finished my first cup, I needed an excuse to leave.

As I was walking away, I could hear a nasally "my, my, Shizu-chan certainly is off this morning. I wonder what kind of dream that protozoan brain could accumulate," from the louse.

I got myself another mug, pouring about half the cup full of milk and adding more sugar than necessary. I went back to the table where my friends and the flea sat admiring the interior design or something that didn't concern me.

I blinked my eyes open again, feeling the cold water beat down on my face. Somewhere along the lines I had thought it were a good idea to let my sleep deprived body sit under cold water to wake me up, but I could hardly remember getting there.

_ Guess I've been standing here for long enough, _ I thought to myself, shutting off the water to the shower. I grabbed a towel from the rack and dried myself off, wiped a hand across the foggy mirror. My brows furrowed at the face staring back at me.

_ You're losing yourself Shizuo... _

"Took you long enough. Thought I might have to come in there to see if you were still alive. D'ja fall asleep?" Kadota asked as I stepped out into the room in just a pair of sweats with a towel draped around my shoulders.

"Something like that..."

* * *

 

_ Izaya _

"How do you even  _ have _ all that stuff?" I heard Shinra ask as I laced up expensive snow boots that matched perfectly with my red and black winter coat.

"Ah, these? I ordered them specially for the trip," I said casually, "I did a little research on what's 'in' right now as far as winter fashion, and got a wonderful deal on proper snowboarding attire."

"Right...Sometimes I forget how loaded your family is..." he mumbled, zipping up his old blue coat.

"You ready?" I asked rising to my feet.

"Yeah just give me a minute. You should go see if they're ready next door."

"Will do~," there was a little chime to my voice this morning. Seeing Shizuo in a miserable mood always added a little skip to my step.

Walking across the hall, I rapped on the door a few times, waiting a few moments before knocking again...then again.

"Fuck. Stop the damn knocking, I'm coming." I heard a muffled, agitated voice behind the door.

Shizuo answered, but as soon as he saw me, he started to shut the door again. I put my foot in to stop it from closing and he asked grumpily, "what do you want, flea?" The usual bite when he addressed me was nowhere to be found.

"Are you ladies finally ready yet? Shinra and I are waiting."

Without making eye contact, he answered, "yeah, just give us a minute," and closed the door.

_ That's odd, Shizu-chan usually glares right at me... _

A few minutes later, the four of us were headed down the elevator into the lobby. We passed by a few of our classmates as Shinra asked the young lady at the front desk for directions to get to the outdoor attractions.

Following said directions, only making one wrong turn in the process, we finally found our way down a glass hallway, that went outside to a ski shop stocked with winter sport supplies.

"Wow, so many options! Skiing, skating, snowboarding, tubing..." Shinra read off the list of what the resort had to offer. "What do you guys wanna do?"

"I'm feeling some snowboarding if you guys are down?" Kadota suggested.

"Sounds fine to me," I replied absentmindedly still looking around the shelves.

"I think I'll try skiing today," Shinra said examining a pair of ski decks in his hands.

Shizuo grunted in agreement.

_ Really, just like an animal, _ I thought to myself.

Still, something was up and I planned on getting to the bottom of it.

"Come on Dotachin! You're so slow!" I called behind me as I stopped and waited by the ski lift. "Shizu-chan and Shinra are probably already going down the mountain as we speak!"

"Sorry," Kadota said catching his breath, kneeling over. "It's just this cold air...it's killing my lungs."

"You have absolutely no endurance," I huffed, blowing my bangs out of my eyes. "Even Shizu-chan, who goes through a pack of cigarettes a day can do better!"

"Yeah, yeah..."

On our way up the ski lift, we observed the snowy hilltops down below. Despite being so cold here, the sun was shining brightly, leaving a beautiful glow across the achromatic land below us, give for the specks of colour of people like a colony of ants.

"Ne, Dotachin..." I began.

"I told you not to call me that, it's degrading...Call me Kadota."

"Whatever, Dotachin. Why won't you trade rooms with me?" I asked disregarding his preferred name.

He sighed, thinking of how to reply. "Look, Izaya...you know I can't do that. You and Shizuo  _ obviously _ don't get along..."

"Perhaps this opportunity would offer for that brute and I to bond, ne?"

"Izaya, I don't know what your intentions are but-"

"Fear not Dotachin, I don't  _ intend  _ anything," I changed my tone to promote my seriousness.

"Then why...?"

"Is it so wrong to want to observe a monster in its natural habitat?" I asked sweetly, leaning an elbow up against the frame of the ascending cart, looking into the distance.

He paused a moment before saying, "Well, I'm sorry, but I can't help you."

"Oh that's too bad," I sighed in an unsatisfactory voice, "and here I was hoping I didn't have to do things the hard way..."

We reached the end of the lift, and headed over to where we recognized a few of our other classmates were gathered. Suddenly we were stopped by a girl who I remember often hung around Kadota. Karisawa Erika, was her name. She had medium length, dark brown hair that is always pulled up, minus the few strands in the front that fell freely, framing her round face. Her large brown eyes sparkled when they met ours, and if I remember correctly, she was always around that other guy-

"Wait up!" Sure enough, came the other boy, Yumasaki Walker, bouncing in the snow behind her.

"Isn't it just the coolest here, Dotchin?!" Completely implored, she spun around to gaze at the resort from across the mountainside.

I smiled inwardly that the nickname had stuck with him from someone else too.

"Yeah, it's pretty sweet. You guys do anything exciting since we got here?" he asked the girl.

"Not yet, but we plan to! We got a map of the whole resort as well as a few of the attractions in town. They have everything here! Apparently there's a manga shop close by.  Yumacchi and I want to check it out sometime. Wanna come?" she was out of breath and barely able to contain her excitement.

"I'll have to pass, I think my group has other plans," Kadota turned to me, looking at me for back up. I just nodded to spare him.

"That's too bad," the blonde continued, "they might have some really good stuff. There are several series that are supposed to update while we’re here and I wonder if they receive shipment the same time Animate usually does." He rubbed his chin in thought.

"Yeah! You're gonna miss out you guys!" the female said, as if we were missing the chance of a lifetime.

"Karisawa, Yumasaki, you are the only two people probably on this  _ entire _ trip who would be thinking about  _ that _ at a getaway like this." Another boy was walking up behind them with shoulder length brown hair.

"Togusa, you're so mean!" Erika said facing the guy.

"You're right though, this place  _ does  _ have everything," he continued. "Last night I went to check out the other side of the resort. They have several restaurants, a spa, an ice skating rink...They even have a hot spring here...I sure know where I'm going later."

That piqued my interest and I tuned in more intently on the conversation now, as the gears in my mind began to turn as concocted a plan.

_ Perhaps things will be easier than I expected... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the quick preview of what's to come regarding Shizuo's dreams, there will be quite a few of them~  
> It's only been like half a day and people are giving me hits and kudos ;_; thank you all <3  
> I hope you guys like what's going on so far. I'll see if I can whip out a few more chapters for you tonight!  
> As always, thank you all for your support ^_^


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter before everything is in place to move forward and it's not so all over the place. Chapters are going to start getting longer after this one, so you have that to look forward to!  
> On a side note, I'd like to thank my two friends who have been helping me with this story for quite some time now, so shout out to them (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ you know who you are~  
> Thanks for sticking with me today! I think this will be the last chapter posted until tomorrow. Enjoy~!

_ Shizuo _

"It's getting late, we should probably make this our last trip down," Shinra said checking his watch then looking up to the setting sun in the distance.

It was a beautiful sight, all the warm tones up in the sky marrying together to create a sight I had only seen in pictures. I had to pinch myself to remind me that the beautiful spectrum was a daily occurrence here, in this small town.

That’s not to say that the sunsets back in ‘Bukuro weren’t a sight themselves, but  _ this. This _ was magnificent.

The way the orange and pink hues reflected against the usually monochromatic landscape, now looked vastly similar to that delicious kind of fake, rainbow ice cream they give to kids who are lactose intolerant.

It had been a successful day, here on the mountains. The weather was nice, it wasn't too crowded, and the flea had managed to stay out of my hair for almost 5 hours. Perhaps my stay here wouldn't be as painful as I thought.

I made my way to the cliff’s edge, bracing myself before pushing off. The trip down the hillside never got old. The cold wind burning my face was ignored by the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The only time I got half as much of a rush as this is when I was chasing that damn louse around…

I couldn’t put a hold on my thoughts before realizing that I had just admitted that to myself. That matter was dropped quickly when images from the night before popped back into my mind. I had been trying to forget about them all day, but to no avail. Ever since we started skiing this morning, the exercise  _ had  _ numbed my mind a little, but the constant thought of those eyes remained.

_ Dammit... _

Reaching the bottom of the slope, Shinra and I made our way back to the shop to return the borrowed items. We headed to one of the resort's back entrances on the west side. The doors opened, letting a warm air wash over our chilled bodies.

"Wanna grab a bite to eat?" Shinra looked over to me, nose and cheeks red from the frigid atmosphere.

He pointed over to one in the cluster of restaurants that lined the halls. The smell of various grilled foods filled my senses, making my mouth water.

"Yeah," I nodded, feeling my stomach growl at the thought of food.

We sat in silence while we waited, mostly because Shinra was constantly on his phone. By the quirky smile on his face, I could already tell who he was talking to but I asked anyway.

"You know you smile like a dork whenever you text her, right?" I laughed a little to myself, probably the first time I had genuinely smiled since I got here.

He looked up at me blushing a bit. "I can't help it, my dear Celty is miles away from me. How am I supposed to deal with the distance?" he said smiling sheepishly.

Shinra was my oldest friend. We go way back together being classmates in grade school. I remember the first time he invited me over to his house. That's when I met her.

_ "There's something you should know..." He hesitated turning the knob to the door of his apartment. _

_ "Yeah?" _

_ "I have an...er...roommate..." He turned to face me with a nervous look on his face. _

_ I canted my head, puzzled at what the problem could possibly be. Tons of people had roommates. _

_ "Shizuo, you are my best friend. I trust you more than anyone, and I know you won't say anything, but...please don't be freaked out. She's really friendly, just...different." _

_ We went inside to what seemed like an empty room. Everything seemed ordinary to me. Shinra's OCD must be genetic with how organized and well kept the apartment was. _

_ "Celty, I'm home from school!...I have a friend with me. Shizuo." He called into the vacant space. _

_ There were footsteps coming from down the hall. A female figure dressed in a leather body suit entered the room. She was wearing a yellow helmet with a blue design, and at the crown were two feline ears. _

_ I bowed at the older woman. "H-hello. I'm Heiwajima Shizuo. Nice to meet you," I said formally. _

_ She began typing on a PDA. _

_ [Shinra has told me so much about you. My name is Celty.] She withdrew the device for a moment to type again. [I'll make some tea.] Then she headed into the kitchenette. _

_ I turned to face my friend. He was watching her walk away, but there was something about his facial expression that I had never seen before. To put it into words...He looked at her in an admiring way. Like he had been waiting all day just to see her. I didn't quite understand it. _

_ We took a seat at the kotatsu in the living room. He was beaming a smile as she served us our drinks. His eyes never left her face-or helmet, that is. I wondered why she wore it indoors... _

_ She left the room and returned with a small laptop. She typed quickly then faced it to me. _

_ [Please make yourself at home. I'm so glad to see Shinra have a friend over. We don't usually have company.] _

_ I nodded to her. "Thank you for having me over." _

_ There was something strange about her aura. Something about sitting beside her, even being in the same room as her, made me feel calm. I hadn't felt this way before. I was fascinated. Excited. Happy. At peace. All at once. Maybe it was because she was so mysterious and intriguing. Maybe there was something else about her... _

_ I hadn't noticed I had been watching her in the corner of my eye until she looked at me and tilted her head to the side. I felt myself heat up and looked down at the cup full of green liquid sitting in front of me. I brought it to my lips trying to hide the blush. _

_ "He wants to know what you are, Celty." _

_ I couldn't help but gasp mid-drink. Trying to suppress a coughing fit, I managed to get out, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare at you. I didn't-" _

_ She retrieved the computer and pecked at the keys some more before showing me. _

_ [It's fine, you don't have to apologize. I would be curious too.] _

_ She added: _

_ [Is it okay, Shinra?] _

_ He smiled and nodded. "Shizuo can handle it. He's different too, in his own way." _

_ She turned to me, putting both hands on either side of her helmet and lifted it slowly. _

_ My eyes widened and my heart skipped a beat when there was nothing but inky smoke hovering above her neck, where her head should have been. _

_ They say when you experience the supernatural, part of your soul intertwines with the spirits around you. That's why you feel weightless and heavy at the same time. The two are pushing and pulling despite being in separate worlds. _

_ That's just what they say though. I didn't believe it. I was certain we were in the same world. Something within me knew that the world was just bigger than what I had once thought. _

_ I wasn't frightened or scared. I felt...enlightened. _

_ She _ was  _ different. I think that's why I wasn't afraid. She was like me. _

_ She began typing again. _

_ [Shinra told me about you too...Being different isn't always a bad thing.] _

_ No one outside of my family had ever treated me so...normally. I had never been invited over to anyone's house before now, because, well...I didn't have any other friends, besides Shinra. People at school didn't talk to me because they had either seen me angry or heard of my bad temper. But part of the reason I was always in a bad mood was because I was treated so alienated...I felt alone. _

_ But knowing that someone could relate to me... _

_ [The world's not as cruel as you think.] _

_ I smiled. _

_ [You are welcome to come by anytime.] She said as I was putting my shoes back on. _

_ "Thank you, again, for having me," I bowed. _

_ And I did feel welcome. I didn't feel alone anymore. _

I shook my head and chuckled again when his thumbs went back to racing against the small keypad of his phone. A few minutes passed in silence before our meals arrived. It took no time at all before I had completely scarfed down a steak and fries and Shinra ate his salmon.

As we left, Shinra checked his phone for the time, only to be interrupted by the sound of a new message. He read it over before turning to face me with a bright smile.

"Izaya just texted me saying there's a hot springs here! It's pretty close to where we are. Wanna go?"

"Hell yes I do," I said stretching, feeling each individual muscle begin to ache from today's activities. That, on top of a restless night.

We followed the directions given in the text message, leading us to a pair of doors labeled "men", and the other one, "women." The men's locker room was large and luxurious-for a locker room, that is. Isles of tall compartments lined the walls, between them, long wooden benches. Off to the right were restrooms, changing rooms, and showers. Against the back wall were many small cubbies with freshly folded, white towels.

I chose a locker at the end of one of the rows; Shinra, a locker behind me on the opposite side of the bench. I began taking my coat off then my boots, shirt and pants. Standing there in nothing but a pair of boxers and socks, I started to feel a little self conscious.

_ Fuck it, _ I thought to myself as I headed over to grab a towel before walking into a stall to change. Something about being completely naked with a bunch of old men and Shinra in the room just felt weird as hell.

I exited the changing stall with a towel wrapped around my waist. Going back over to my locker, I stuffed my socks and underwear on the shelf. Closing it behind me, I walked over to where Shinra was waiting by the door in a towel.

"You shouldn't be so self conscious, Shizuo, the human body is a beautiful thi-"

"Yeah, yeah," I waved off for him to spare me the lecture, walking out the door he was holding for me.

Immediately I felt the heat radiating from the spring as I stepped outside. The foggy air swept around my feet.

The outdoor room was surrounded by half wooden, half screen walls, so that you could view the evening, snow-capped mountains beyond. Candles lit up the large room, on top of the natural light of a waning crescent coming in through the screens. There was a black, lamp-like chandelier that hung from the center if the ceiling. Through the steam, I could see several heads bobbing in the bath water.

I stepped down onto the stairs in the water before removing my towel and setting on the side of the pool. Thankfully there was enough steam hovering above the water to cover the lower half of my body. I sunk into the liquid feeling my muscles relax as the heat touched my flesh.

"Ah," Shinra sighed in relief sitting down next to me. "This is the life...The only thing that would make this better were if my dearest Celty were here," he said winking at me, an unusual sight of his face free of glasses.

"Pervert," I muttered with a smile as I closed my eyes. I leaned my head back against the edge of the pool. I hadn't felt this at ease in years...Or was it ever?

"Glad you could finally join us~," I heard his annoying sing-song voice making its way over to where we were sitting. I cracked an irritable eye open as satan reincarnate stood before us.

_ Well that was a nice five seconds while it lasted... _

"Hey, thanks for telling us about this place, it's exactly what we needed," Shinra said gratefully.

"Of course, of course. Anything for my friends," the flea said in a disgustingly sweet manor.

Kadota came over and sat next to me, giving me a nod. I nodded once back, then shut my eyes once more trying to tune out the conversation between the other two.

The heat of the water immersing my body made it easier for me to relax again. It wasn't before long, when the sounds around me began to sound muffled and distant. Before I knew it, I was out...

_ At first, I felt my body covered in sweat. It was too hot, wherever I was. I could barely breathe. And it didn't help that there was something holding my body down, a weight centered on of my stomach. I could feel it shift on top of me as I struggled to inhale. _

_ There it was again. That smell. That familiar smell from before. _

_ Something warm and wet dragged itself along my cheek. My eyes snapped open. Looking back at me were those same crimson eyes. _

I woke up suddenly, sitting straight up.

Breathing hard, I looked around at my two friends and the flea who were staring at me mystified.

"You alright, man?" Kadota’s concerned voice asked beside me.

"Yeah, just this weird dream..." I said rubbing my eyes.

"Wanna talk about it?" Shinra asked from my other side. “Not that dream study is in my field of medical training, that’s more psychiatric work-”

"N-no. It's nothing..." I said trying to snap out of it.

_There's no way I could ever talk about that fucking_ _nightmare_.

There was a long awkward pause before Izaya broke it. "Well...as exciting as this has been, I think it's time for me to get out. I feel like a raisin.”

The louse was heading toward the stairs, and within seconds, the steam engulfed the figure walking away.

The three of us sat in silence for a few minutes as I waited for my heart to return to a normal pace.

"You sure you don't want to talk-"

"I said I'm fine," I cut Shinra off, accidentally adding more force.

When I had calmed down enough, I pushed myself away from the wall. "I need a cigarette. I'll see you guys back at the room."

Grabbing my towel and wrapping it around my waist, I got out of the pool and made my way over to the locker room door.

Moving my hand up to massage the back of my neck, I walked over to where I had left my things in my locker.  Absentmindedly, I reached up for the handle, but to my surprise it was already open. I looked inside and it was completely empty. I checked the number again

_ I was sure this was the locker I had used... _

"Looking for something, Shizu-chan~?"

The insufferable sneer immediately had my hair standing on end.

My head whipped around, to see the louse standing there with my clothes bunched in his arms and a smirk on his face.

* * *

 

_ Izaya _

"What are you doing, flea?!" the blonde shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. We were the only two in the locker room, I had made sure of it earlier.

"I'm going to say this one last time, Shizu-chan. Let me room with you," I offered my final warning.

"Why the fuck do you keep bothering me about that, you damn louse?! I said no!"

"Always wanting to do things the hard way," I heaved an exaggerated sigh. "You give me no other choice then..."

And with that, I dashed out of his sight and through door.

"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" I heard him growl behind me.

_ Excellent, just as predicted. _

I turned a sharp corner, but I could hear Shizuo catching up to me. He may be strong, but I'd beat him in a race any day. My parkour skills were being put to use as I hopped over benches and jumped through bell carts.

I looked back at the monster as he was gaining on me. The poor fool was running with on hand holding the towel wrapped around him in place. I laughed loudly before I sped up, dodging other tourists as we continued our race through the hallways.

People were staring at the brute and I as we played our game of cat and mouse. How strange it must be to see two teenage boys chasing each other, one in nothing but a short, white towel. I didn't feel the least bit phased that it might be disturbing to some of the older folk here.

"IIIIII-ZAAAAA-YAAAAA!" he kept shouting from behind me, which just made me laugh harder. He was starting to fall behind.

"Those cigarettes holding you back, ne, Shizu-chan?" I called back.

With that, he sprinted harder towards me, raging with fury.

Next thing I knew we were on the complete other side of the resort heading into the main lobby. I looked back one more time at the blonde who was getting too close for comfort before shouting, "you've got to run faster than that, Shizu-chan, if you ever plan on getting these ba-" when suddenly I felt something hard hit my shin. The next thing I knew, I was flying forward.

_ This was entirely unpredicted...You never fail... _

Cold water surrounded me as I practically belly flopped into the lobby's large fountain.

I got my head above water for a brief second before something heavy landed on top of me, sending me back down into the cold pool. Water was shot up my nose and into my mouth.

Pushing the brute off, I came up again for air coughing. I looked around for Shizuo. He was trying to stand up a few feet away from me. His clothes scattered around the pool.

"YOU IDIOT! YOU SAW ME FALL IN! WHY DID YOU KEEP RUNNING?!" I shouted in between coughs.

He looked at me, eyes flaming with anger as he stalked over. He grabbed the wet collar of my shirt, bringing my face close to his. I don't think I had ever seen him  _ this _ mad.

"YOU'RE THE IDIOT THAT DIDN'T STOP BEFORE FALLING FACE FIRST INTO THIS MESS, NEED I REMIND YOU!"

I laughed sarcastically before shooting back, "I'm no  _ idiot _ Shizu-chan! Ungraceful at times, but NOT at idiot."

"It's your fucking fault any of this happened, so yeah, that makes you an idiot!"

I rolled my eyes, but something caught my attention. In the corner of my eye I saw something white lapping the water's surface. Shizuo noticed my gaze shift over to the towel floating beside us. He paused for a moment and dropped me back into the water. My eyes curiously wondering down his body before stopping to see...

My eyes widened and I felt a sadistic smirk growing on my face. My gaze shifted back up at Shizuo, who was red from head to toe. He quickly grabbed the wet towel from beside him, wrapping himself up, looking around to see if anyone else gotten a shot of his display of public nudity.

I got back up on my feet and stepped out of the pool while Shizuo was still collecting his soaked clothing. Shaking some of the water off, I turned around to face someone of the resorts importance standing behind me.

I put on my best fake smile before I began speaking. "Good evening, sir. It seems we've made quite a mess of your fine lobby...I apologize on both our behalves." I heard Shizuo step out of the water behind me.

It was almost too much to hold back from hysterically laughing at the current situation.

"You kids here with Rajin High?" the man in the suit asked flatly.

"Yes," Shizuo and I said in unison-although Shizuo's was more of a "yeah".

"Please come with me," he waved for us to follow him.

And so we did, reaching Sir Uptight's office, where we sat, still soaking wet. We said nothing to each other, but occasionally Shizuo and I would make eye contact, which he would break immediately. About 15 minutes later, the same man came back into the office, our teacher, Mr. O, behind him looking at the pair of us not exactly surprised.

"The manager has explained what happened to me," he said, gaze shifting between us. "I'm very disappointed in your behavior, you two."

The brute and I looked down.. "We're sorry," we said apologetically. "Truly we are. We got out of hand," I finished, but it was a complete lie. I wasn't sorry in the slightest.

"Had you not been a student on a class trip here, you would have been asked to leave the resort...Thankfully this nice man has been so forgiving," our teacher continued. "However, this is your last chance. If the two of you end up here again, we will have to make arrangements to send you home."

"As your punishment, you will clean up the mess you have made in the lobby. Mops will be provided," the manager said.

"After you change of course," our teacher interjected looking at Shizuo specifically.

"Yes, please put some clothes on. We're just lucky no one was there to witness your...public exposure," the manager said distastefully to the brute.

I could see him shift in his seat uncomfortably before nodding and blushing a little.

_ How interesting. He really _ is _ self-conscious. _ I almost felt bad for him. Almost.

"As for my personal punishment...we will decide  _ that _ after you two have cleaned," said the teacher with crossed arms.

We nodded, and apologized once more. They let us go back to our rooms and change, then came back down to the lobby. Two mops were waiting beside the fountain as well as a yellow "wet floor" sign.

Shizuo and I mopped the entire lobby, plus where we had tracked water down the hallway. It took about a half hour with the two of us working. We said nothing to each other, and we certainly didn't look at each other again. When we finished, we returned the cleaning supplies back to the manager, bowing and apologizing one last time.

"No serious harm done," he said. The mood had lightened now that we had gotten the job finished.

Our teacher was waiting for us back in the clean lobby.

We walked over to him as he began. "As my personal form of punishment, the two of you will have an earlier curfew. You will be back on the resort grounds by 8pm and in your room at 9pm."

_ That's not so bad. _

"Which brings me to the second part of your punishment," he went on, "I've noticed that the two of you have some differences you need to work out. I think it would be best if you spent more time getting to know each other and sort out those differences in a healthier, more mature manner. That's why I have spoken to the rest of your group and they have agreed to have the two of you room together instead."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you all know where this is going ;3  
> All the events leading up to this point have helped formed the story's plot so it can finally continue...This is all just like one really, really long prologue lol.  
> More chapters will be posted tomorrow! ＼（＾○＾）人（＾○＾）／ Thank you all for your hard work!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!  
> This chapter is a little bit longer and there's a lot more detail now that things have settled down. A lot happens in this chapter so you're in for a treat ;)  
> Also it was really nice to wake up and see all the nice things you guys have had to say about what I have so far, so thank you to those of you who commented! I really appreciate it!  
> I put some notes at the bottom crediting a song I used in this chapter, feel free to check it out~  
> Enjoy~

_ Izaya _

_ Just as I had planned. _

"Y-you're joking, right?" I heard the brute stutter next to me.

"I'm not, Heiwajima-kun. I really think you and Orihara-kun have some issues to work out as adults. You're not kids anymore," Mr. O continued. "Who knows, maybe you two could even become friends after this," he said optimistically as he was walking away.

The blonde looked at me for a moment, opening his mouth to say something, then closed it before whatever idiotic comment had a chance to leave his lips, turning towards the front door. Most likely for a nicotine fix.

I walked over to the front desk where a young looking, brunette lady, in her early 20's, sat typing away on a computer.

"Can I help you, sir?" she said not looking up from the screen.

A smile quirked on the corner of my lips, already amused at the potential of the conversation before me.

"I think you can do more than help me," I purred, leaning against the counter with a sly grin  across my face.

She canted her head, a little confused, but her face instantly changed when our eyes met. A slight blush dusted her fair skin.

More often than not did I catch the attention of the opposite gender.

I stared down into wide doe-eyes of the front desk assistant. Her unmoving gaze was locked with mine and I felt my own eyes twinkle back a charming smile.

Most women I had been around, give or take one or two, were all too easy to sweet talk into just about anything I asked from them without giving it a second thought. It was a lot easier than some people thought to win over the delicate hearts of female schoolmates or strangers I met on an evening stroll in Ikebukuro. A compliment here and there, a small laugh at a cheap joke, were just a few of the many things that were the key to a young lady looking for love’s heart.

Alas though, to their disdain, I was simply never interested. To me, they were all the same; little things to play with.

"O-oh!" she stuttered in attempt to compose herself. "What can I do for you?"

"The real question is what can _ I _ do for  _ you _ ?" I smiled, inclining closer to the flushed girl. "What's a beautiful young lady like yourself working at a place like this?  _ You _ should be relaxing and enjoying it here yourself instead, ne?" I said as I leaned on an elbow, getting comfortable at the spot.

"Oh, I, um, needed a job and they were hiring,” she laughed tenderly, waving off the comment. “It's not so bad, I enjoy myself here sometimes...Are you looking for something fun to do during your stay?" she asked, straightening in her chair in a professional manner..

"Only if you'll accompany me," I said in a low voice with a wink.

Her face instantly flushed red, and I couldn’t help but widen my smile before I continued, changing the subject.

"Actually," I quickly glanced down to her name tag, "Kyoko-chan, I have an entirely different problem..."

"Y-yes?"

"You see, while I was indulging in your fine resort's outdoor activities, I seem to have misplaced the key to my room, so I'm locked out..." I chuckled inwardly to myself, feigning embarrassment. "If it's not too much trouble...I was wondering if I could have another one?" I looked up at her smiling.

"O-oh! Of course! You poor thing, you must be so cold!" she said sympathetically unlocking a drawer full of empty key cards. "I'll just need your room number and ID."

"Ah, sadly I don't have my wallet on me, it's in my room..." I used my best helpless expression, still keeping up the act. “Pathetic, aren’t I?” I said to sound completely at a loss.

"Oh, well, .that's not a problem. Just the room number is fine."

"Room 1221,"  _ Shizu-chan's room. _ "I'm Kyohei Kadota."

She swiped the card, plugged some numbers into the computer and handed me the key with a bright, white smile.

"Enjoy the rest of your stay Kyohei-san. If there's anything else you need, please don't hesitate to call down," she said, blushing still.

"Don't think I won't take you up on that~!" I flashed a grin before turning on my heel.

_ The number one rule to getting something from a human is through flattery _ .

There was an extra skip in my step as I headed up to my old room, unlocking it with my original key. Several duffle bags were sitting on one of the neatly made beds.

_ Good, Kadota's things have already been moved. _

I grabbed my two bags from the corner of the room, which had yet to be unpacked, and went back out to the door across the hall. There was no answer when I knocked on the door.

_ He's probably going through that entire _ pack  _ of cancer sticks... _

I unlocked the door myself with the newly acquired key and stepped inside. The room was surprisingly tidy for a monster to be living in it. I guess I had expected claw marks on the wall and shattered picture frames.

I shrugged, as took my things over to the bed by the window,  not the one that looked like it had recently been slept in; finally ready to unpack. The whole process took about 15 minutes, and I kept my things organized and separated from the brutes belongings, making myself right at home.

Taking a seat on my new bed and propping my back up with pillows, I opened up my laptop and read the tiny numbers in the corner.  _ 7:24 _ .

_ I'll do a little bit of work and then go wash those wet clothes from earlier... _

By the time I had signed into the wifi and checked a few emails, not even 10 minutes had passed before I heard the door click open. I looked up to see the blonde standing in the doorway. He stared at me in disgust for a brief second before turning to the closet to grab some clothes. Without saying a word, he headed straight for the bathroom and I heard the shower turn on behind the closed door.

_ Ignoring me, hmm? How petty of you. _

I shut my laptop, taking the opportunity to change into something a little more comfortable.

I chose my grey pullover from the closet and a pair of black, polyester shorts. Dressing quickly, slid on a pair of complimentary slippers and stuffed my phone and my wallet which held a key, into my pocket, grabbing the bag of wet clothes from our earlier escapade.

I headed down the elevator into the lobby once more, asking my dear Kyoko-chan at the front desk where the laundry room was.

Happy to help me once more, she showed me the way on a small map of the resort.

"You'll also need these tokens," she said handing me several gold coins. "They don't take yen."

"And how much do I owe you for these?" I asked politely, already reaching into pocket for my wallet.

"Oh, don't worry about it, Kyohei-san, it's on me," she said smiling with pink cheeks.

"You're sure? That's awfully thoughtful of you," I said in a velvety voice that only made her fidget more in her chair.

"I'm sure," she nodded and smiled. "Come back if you need anything else."

"Thank you for everything once again~!" I called behind me as I walked out of the lobby.

I followed the directions she gave me, finding the empty laundry room with no problem.

I started a load when I arrived, examining the selection of flavorful detergents, settling on something lavendar-like, and took a seat up on the counter on the adjacent side of the room.

While I waited for the machine to finish it’s round of washing the clothes, I responded to several messages on my cellphone from my new employer.

I had recently gotten a job collecting assortments of information on people. It was simple enough, and had always been a hobby of mine, so when the opportunity for income came up, I took my chance. Not to mention, I would be making respectable pay.

The only side of the bargain that remained shady was that I was working with adults who were constantly getting their hands dirty,  _ if _ you know what I mean.

Before I knew it, the chime of the washing machine completing it's cycle sang in the empty space. I got up to put my damp clothes in a dryer and went back to take my seat on top the of the counter once again.

I pulled the rest of the gold tokens out of my pocket, examining their unique detail, when suddenly I heard the door open and close across the room.

Shizuo walked in wearing a plain white t-shirt and a pair of blue sweatpants. His blonde hair looked only half dry and in one of his ears was a headphone connected to a white wire that trailed down into his pocket. He didn't seem to see me sitting there as I continued to observe him, and it looked like we had the same idea as he carried in his damp clothing.

Walking over to one of the washing machines, he put in a his laundry and filled the cartridge with detergent. I smiled when he had sniffed each one thoughtfully for a moment before finally deciding on a floral fragrance. He began digging in his pocket for what sounded like some loose change to start the machine.

I saw him place a couple coins in the slots and try to push the the contraption back to release them. He tried again and again, the smile on my face grew wider each failed attempt as I watched the brute get frustrated. Finally, I decided to end my source of entertainment before he broke something that he couldn't pay for.

"It doesn't take yen."

He jumped in surprise at the sound of my voice and looked back at me confused.

"What?" Too startled to hold back the usual malice in his bark, he instead sounded only puzzled. Whether it was a response to my comment or my presence, I wasn’t sure. Nor did I care.

I hopped off the edge of the counter where I had been perched, and walked towards the taller male struggling with the appliance.

"It doesn't take yen," I repeated standing next to him. "Here." I held out my hand full of tokens. "I thought you might need one,” I said without even a hint of emotion.

"Oh...thanks." I could tell he felt uncomfortable getting the word out.

"Mhmm~," I hummed going back to retake my seat.

When he finished starting up the machine, he came over to sit on the counter a couple feet away from me, however it was a closer distance than I had expected.

Since conversation wasn't going to strike up, I leaned my head back against wall to get comfortable and closed my eyes. Time passed as we sat silently together, the sound of running washing machines as white noise in the background. I began to doze off, drifting into a light sleep.

It felt like I had been asleep for hours, but I'm sure it was only a matter of minutes before I heard something soft and pleasant humming a tune I was unfamiliar with. I opened my eyes slowly, looking over at the blonde sitting next to me. His eyes were closed, arms crossed against his chest, and his lips barely moved as he sung quietly along with whatever he was listening to.

I sat up, curiosity getting the better of me, and edged closer to the man, and I heard the faint music play out of the mini-speakers of his headphones. He was singing a little louder now, and tapped his fingers to the beat of the song. I scooted dangerously closer, bringing my ear a few centimeters away from his lips.

Very much to my surprise, he wasn't bad. His voice actually sounded...good? Low, but melodic. It was...soothing almost, in it's own way. What was even more of a surprise, was that he wasn't singing in our native Japanese. He was singing in English.

_ Who would have thought a brute like you could sing, let alone in another language with a near perfect accent... _

I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

_ My mistake... _

"The fuck, flea?!" the blonde said taken aback, as he was startled by my laugh.

"Why did you stop?" I asked, kicking myself a little for ruining my cover.

"What?" he questioned me, a hint of confusion and irritation colouring his voice.

"Singing," I said. "Why did you stop?"

His face flushed slightly, "I-I thought you were asleep..." he sounded embarrassed, eyes looking anywhere but into mine.

"You're not bad, you know," I said with a casual smile and not my signature smirk, sitting back down next to him, our shoulders brushing.

"Th-thanks..." he said looking away, squirming uncomfortably, but I didn’t mind.

"I didn't know you liked foreign music...Which isn't like me, I usually know everything," I stated matter-of-factually.

"Oh, well...my brother is really into American rock music, so I kinda picked it up from him..." He confessed, and I could tell he was feeling more than a little awkward having a normal conversation with me.

"I see...Mind if I listen?"

I expected him to push me entirely off the counter, I had even braced for it, but instead his response was shocking.

"Um...I guess not..." He reluctantly handed me an earphone.

I had to mask my surprise as I accepted it, tucking it in my ear and waiting for him to press the play button on his mp3 player.

When the music started, I focused all of my attention on every little detail of the song, doing my best to remember what I had studied in my English class...

" _ If you had a day, _

_ would you give me a moment? _

_ Would you allow our play _

_ to leave no bone unbroken? _

_ Let's love, like 17. _

_ I'm in love with poisoning. _

_ Only bring your pretty, frightful gifts to me. _

_ Let's love, and kill like 17 now... _ "

The rest of the song continued to play, putting me in a pleasurable daze. When it ended, I looked up at the blonde with a smile. "What song was that?"

"Er, '17 Crimes' by AFI...you like it or somethin'?" he asked sounding more accusational than I was sure he intended.

"Actually, yes, I do." I too, felt awkward but didn't let it show through like he did.

"They're Kasuka's favourite...Mine too, I guess,” he said, looking away from me as he talked about himself so casually.

I have to admit, it was strange talking so  _ normally _ with the most abnormal person I knew.

The thought of the monster staying calm for more than five minutes was earth shattering information in itself..

The sound of the dryer finishing it's drying cycle sang from across the room. We looked at each other uncomfortably again for a moment before I got up. I took my warm clothes out and put them back in my bag and started towards the door. I looked back at him one last time, bringing up one of my less used smiles.

"See you back at the room, Shizu-chan~," I sung waving my fingers playfully.

As I closed the door behind me, I wasn’t able to ignore the slight flutter in my chest.

* * *

 

_ Shizuo _

When I arrived back at the room, the louse was, as expected, sitting on his new bed, laptop at hand, typing away. He didn't say anything when I walked in. In fact, he didn't say anything for the next hour as he sat on his computer while I flipped through channels on the room's too-large TV.

It was past our new curfew so we couldn't do much else but endure the awkward silence between us. I wasn't sure what exactly had happened in the laundry room, but it definitely wasn't the Izaya  _ I _ knew...

_ He must be up to something.  _  I concluded.  _ He has to be...He's the one that got us into trouble in the first place, and now he's _ nice  _ all of the sudden? _

Something about that just didn't sit right with me...

I turned off the television, my thoughts becoming a nuisance to me. "I'm going to go to bed now, so..." I said looking over to the man on the other bed.

Without even blinking, let alone stopping to look up, he just waved a hand in my direction saying. "Feel free to turn the lights out, I'll be up a bit longer."

I grunted in agreement then turned the lamp on the bedside table off. I rolled over onto my side to face away from the flea and his bright screen.

Closing my eyes, I tried relaxing my sore muscles on the foamy mattress. The soft clicking of my roommates typing was soothing, and it was the last thing I could remember before falling into a deep slumber...

_ I was back in darkness as I began to regain some sort of consciousness. The first thing I could do was feel myself laying down on something soft. _

_ My hands twitched a little as I started to come out of sleep paralysis, and I was able to grip what felt like sheets under me. _

Good to know I was in the safety of my own bed again.

_ Next I began to taste the dryness of my mouth, like it had completely stopped producing saliva. I tried swallowing, but my throat got caught up in the dryness and I coughed instead. I slowly began to regain my hearing. _

_ When my coughing had subsided, and I attempted opening my eyes, but to no avail. I let out a sigh. _

I supposed it would come eventually...

_ That's when I heard it. A sort of low chuckle coming from above me. _

_ I knew that laugh anywhere. _

_ My eyes wanted to snap open, but my body refused. I pushed my upper body off of what I'm guessing was a bed, and looked up with closed eyes, narrowing them anyway. _

_ My voice was shaky for some reason when I spoke.  _ "Wh-what do you want, f-flea?"

_ The only response I got was another dark laugh, louder this time. _

_ I tried sitting up more, but felt something hard kick me in the chest making me fall back onto the bed with the wind knocked out of me. _

_ The, I'm assuming, foot, remained on my chest, pinning me down. I felt him shift above me and lower himself down to sit on my stomach. That familiar bitter-sweet smell filled my nostrils once more. _

_ I spoke up again, weakly because of the lack of air.  _ "What do you want with me? Why is this happening?"

_ I waited for a response from him, but got nothing. All was silent for a minute, which seemed like an eternity. _

_ I suddenly felt a cool hand brush against my cheek. I flinched a bit at the touch, but he didn't stop. _

_ I felt hopeless, sitting there blindly as the man above me glided his cold fingers down my face, neck, and chest. He paused for a moment on the side of my developing pectorals to hold a nipple between two of his fingers, then squeezed it painfully tightly. _

_ I let out a hiss as he did so, but he just continued to laugh and trace the muscles further down on my stomach. His hand paused every once and a while to draw along the outlines of my abdominal muscles. It felt like he was almost admiring them, but I couldn't tell with closed eyes. _

_ He began working his hands back up, stopping at my shoulders to grab onto them. I could feel him move on top of me, and he breathed close to my ear.  _ "Shi-zu-chan~," _ his low voice purred darkly, giving me goosebumps. _

_ I turned my head away, but he grabbed my face forcefully between his hand and snapped it back to face him. His hand squished my cheeks together uncomfortably. I didn't have to have to see to know he was mocking me with a smile. _

_ " _ Shi-zu-chan~, _ " he spelled out the syllables of my name in a whisper. I tried my hardest not to cringe at the sound, but couldn't help but shiver a little. _

Why was my body acting so strangely? Why wasn't I getting up to punch the flea's face in? Why was I so...weak?

_ I felt his cold tongue run down from my ear to my neck, stopping every so often to suck on it hungrily. I gripped the sheets tighter as he did so, conscious not to rip them, to prevent the sound wanting to escape my lips. I would just endure it until I woke up. _

_ He let go of my face and moved his hand down to my lower abdomen pausing at the waistband of my sweatpants. He lifted it up slowly, pulling at an angle before letting it go to snap back down on my skin lower than where my pants usually sat. _

_ I hissed again, but he just chuckled as he bit and sucked harder on my neck. I could feel my skin bruising under the pressure as his tongue and teeth worked simultaneously. _

_ Ever so slightly, and out of my control, my neck turned, allowing him more access. I could feel him take advantage of the opportunity, as he continued sucking away at my tender skin with those hungry lips. As much as I hated, but couldn't help it, I felt my pants become slightly more unaccomodating as he did so. _

Why was I allowing this? It couldn't have possibly felt good?!

_ I subconsciously shook my head at the thought. This however, only made the other man stop what he was doing to question my actions. _

_ " _ Is there something wrong, Shizu-chan? _ " his voice was hushed but seductive. _

_ " _ N-no...yes...I don't know... _ " I replied with uncertainty tainting my answer. _

_ At that he just chuckled again. "Your body doesn't seem to think so~." He slapped his hand down and grabbed my growing predicament at my hips. I let out an " _ oof _ " in both pain, but my body grew more excited at the touch. _

_ He began to move the palm of his hand up and down the front of my lower region, grasping the hardening member with each stroke. _

_ " _ I bet no one has ever even touched you like this, ne? _ " his voice was low and demeaning. _

_ I felt my face get hot with embarrassment, turning my face away from his. _

_ " _ I'm glad I could be your first. Besides...your innocence makes me hard too~," _ he chimed, but his voice remained velvety smooth. _

_ The way he said it made me fidget under his touch, embarrassed for him to so bluntly state the humiliating fact...About being my first time, that is. No one  _ had _ ever touched me this way. _

_ I opened my mouth to reply with something, but before I could even speak, I felt his mouth crash into mine. _

Our second kiss.

_ The kiss was full of passion, almost too much for me to handle. I was still for a while as he hungrily nipped at my lower lip. His tongue made it's way into my mouth, flicking against my own in a "come here" motion. His hand still working around my arousal. _

_ I eventually gave in, and began to gently kiss him back. _ What else could I do?  _ He readily accepted, as his tongue danced with my amateur one. _

_ His taste overwhelmed my senses, making my head spin and my mouth water. Our kiss was deep and full of heat. I was so entirely aroused at this point, I could almost no longer hold it in... _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kyaaaaa~ I'm sorry his wonderful dream was so short though, but don't worry, in the future I promise to make it more elaborate!
> 
> ALSO I would like to give credit to the band AFI (A Fire Inside) for inspiring this entire fic. If you couldn't already tell from the AFI related sub-references throughout the story so far, that is. They're an amazing band, very talented. When I first listened to "17 Crimes" (above) it was like they were describing the relationship between these two love birds perfectly! I just had to include it. (Also for those who don't know, I named this fic after their song "Love Like Winter". I highly suggest YouTubing the music video for it. It's amazing. So much perfection...and snow...and magic...and angst.
> 
> Does anyone have any requests? I have several ideas for how I want this story to go, and I plan on making this story pretty long, so I want to entertain you all as much as possible while still staying with the plot of the story. So yeah, please please please let me know if you have any ideas you want to share with me :) Thanks again for keeping up with me!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> Sorry for the week break before updating. The one I was working on editing was a big one, so I've decided to break it up. I'll be posting the next part soon~  
> This chapter flip flops between Shizuo's and Izaya's point of view, since there is so much going on in this chapter; just a head's up!

_ Shizuo _   
  


_ "-izu-chan...Shizu-chan." _

There was a distant voice I was sure was just in the back of my mind. I remember only speaking to it what felt like moments ago.

_ “Wake up.” _

It echoed, as my thoughts became less hazy. There was a different emphasis on said voice than before. This time, it wasn’t coated with a playful lilt I had grown familiar to. Instead, there was a hint of confusion.

_ “Wake up…Shizu-chan...” _

The sound became clearer to my ears with each call. 

"Shizu-chan."

It finally stated, firmly this time. I felt a light tapping on the side of my cheek.

My eyes slowly opened to find the flea hovering beside me, wide red eyes not glowing, thankfully...   
I sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"’The hell, flea, why'd you wake me up?" I was too tired to force the irritation I wanted to assert, but my voice came out a slow rasp from just waking up.

I glanced at the clock on the bedside table, the bright green lights of the numbers ‘3:48’ blinding me.   
The concerned look left his face within an instant, and his eyes narrowed. "Actually, your  _ moaning _ woke me up."   
"M-my what?!" Suddenly I was feeling all too awake, but wasn't sure if I had heard him correctly.   
"You were moaning," he taunted, and I could see the curve of his lips, even in the darkness. "Quite loudly actually. I was worried you'd start touching yourself in your sleep." I could hear the patronizing, disappointed smile in his voice.   
"Shut up, flea,” I growled looking away, feeling my face getting hot. “And I wasn't  _ moaning _ ."   
"Oh but you  _ were _ ~,” he said in a corrective tone. “Was Shizu-chan perhaps, thinking about me in his sleep?” he cooed darkly. “I’m flattered.”   
"I-I was not!” I affirmed, but I could feel myself breaking into an anxious cold sweat.   
_ I couldn't have possibly said his name in my sleep...right? _   
"I'm just kidding, Shizu-chan, you’re disgusting, and definitely not that creative.” The annoyance was back, lacing his voice as he stood up and went back to his own bed.

When I was sure he was out of earshot, I let out a small sigh of relief.   
"Besides," he continued, and I immediately felt all my muscles tense in preparation for what he was about to say next. 

“A protozoan mind like yours couldn't possibly comprehend something as complex as myself, let alone in your subconscious," he snorted arrogantly. "Just try to dissipate your wet dreams to lesser volume, ne?"

After that there was a stone silence. I only hoped that that indicated that he could not hear the way my heart thrummed against my ribcage. It wasn’t until I could hear his faint, relaxed breathing, when I gained enough confidence to roll over.

I laid there awake for a while trying not to recall my dream, but it didn’t help that I could still taste the dryness of my mouth. I could still feel those cold hands all over me. The thought poisoned my mind making me shudder.   
How could I have possibly let myself get to that point, even if I  _ was _ asleep the whole time. It disgusted me, letting the flea...   
I couldn't bare to think of it again. I was too tired to think of it again.   
Pulling the sheets over my head, I let myself lay in complete darkness, no longer able to hear the flea's steady breathing. I let sleep wash over me one more time, sending me back into the same demented dreamworld.   
Two days had passed. I was tired. I barely slept, and when I did, my nightmares continued to recur making me toss and turn whenever I drifted off. Almost every night I was woken up by the louse telling me to be quiet.   
Finally, day three, he gave up and just dealt with my sleep talking and other vocalizations. I didn't think his name had slipped yet, thankfully. If he found out I was dreaming about him he'd never let me live it down...   
One tired morning though, Kadota, Shinra, the flea, and I were all sitting at our usual place by the window in the dining area for breakfast. Kadota and Shinra were still getting their food when the flea hopped over a seat to sit in front of me.   
He inclined forward, hands clasped in a professional manner as he spoke. "So...as your friend and roommate, I can't help but wonder what it is that goes on in that simplistic mind of yours at night...Do you always make sexual noises when you sleep or is it just because I'm there?" he said grinning devilishly while resting his chin on a propped up hand.   
I started the countdown in my head, too exhausted to let exert any energy to a battle I knew I couldn’t win in this condition.   
"Since when were we friends?" I responded flatly.   
"Oh come now, Shizu-chan, don't be that way." He smiled, but I could tell his intentions were of a different nature. "You're changing the subject. What is it you dream about?”

There was no use in trying to move on to a different topic when his mind was solely focused on one thing alone.   
"Nothing." I didn't want to look at him.   
"You're a terrible liar, Shizu-chan. If you’re going to lie at least make it somewhat believable.”   
"I don't wanna talk about it,” I said between gritted teeth.   
"Look at you, you're exhausted," he pointed at all of me. "Don't you want to get a good night's rest? No wonder you aren't sleeping well; you keep your feelings and emotions all bottled up inside you," he made gestures with his hands as he spoke. "I'm sure if you talked about it- _ it  _ being whatever is  _ clearly _ bothering you, it might just go away, ne? That's why I'm reaching out to you. As a friend."   
I couldn't stand knowing that it if I did tell him- _ which wouldn't happen in the next eternity _ -it would take him less than two seconds to figure out a way to use it against me. Especially if it were something this bad...   
"And give me one good reason why I'd want to talk to you about my problems?"   
"So there is something! Izaya Orihara does it again!" he shouted as he threw his hands in the air making the people around us give him strange looks. I rolled my eyes.

"I just want to offer my assistance," he said in a lower, more serious tone. "I'm here for you when you're ready to talk." He said it formally enough, that at any moment I thought he would slide me a business card, if he had one.   
I was a bit taken back, but tried not to let my discomposure show.

“You're still not gonna get me to talk about it..." I finalized my answer and turned my head to look out the window instead. I’d rather look anywhere than in those mischievous, ruby orbs that haunted me in my sleep.   
By that time, Shinra and Kadota, and three of their other friends had come back to the table. No one bothered to ask, if they had even noticed, about the private conversation that was just held.   
"So what about that manga shop in town, Dotachin?" I heard the girl at the far end of the table ask the man sitting next to me.   
"I told you, I'm not interested. You guys go on without me," he slouched back in his chair waving the possibility away. “And stop calling me that.”   
"Aww come on, _ pleeease, _ " she begged, clasping her hands together, the small twinkle of hope in her eyes was beginning to dull.   
"You should still check out the town, though,” the sandy-blonde haired boy spoke, crossing his arms.   
"I don't know if today's the best day to leave the resort grounds anyway," I said looking out the window into the unusually grey sky. "Looks like there's a storm heading this way."   
"Thank you, Shizuo, for pointing that out." He turned back to face Erika. "The weather says it's not meant to be," Kadota stated, then sipped his orange juice.   
When breakfast was over we decided to return to our rooms to change for the day.

_ Hopefully I'd have enough energy _ , I thought to myself, covering a yawn that escaped. Each day was getting harder to pull through. Especially with the flea hanging around all the time.

* * *

_ Izaya _   
  
"Shizu-chan, hurry _ up! _ You've been in there for like forty-five minutes!" I whined, pounding on the door to the bathroom. “No matter how much you scrub, you can never wash away that foul expression you seem to like sporting."

I tapped my foot as my patience was beginning to wear transiently thin.

Seriously, how long could it possibly take for a monster to shower? It’s not like he can really ever  _ get clean. _

As I was about to agitatedly rap on the door again, it opened before me. I was oh-so-not-surprised to see Shizuo standing in the door frame wearing his signature grimace.   
"Ne,” I chuckled in the most belittling of ways, “you know if you keep making that face, you'll have wrinkles by the time you're 20~,” I chided, poking at the space between his knit brows.   
_ He was always in such a mood... _   
Slowly, he raised his hand to push the one I was prodding at him with away. Even more slowly, he brushed past me, knocking me to the side a little. I huffed as I was being so rudely disregarded, without receiving any kind of reaction at all.

As he walked by, the scent of his shampoo uninvitedly filled my lungs. I crinkled my nose in disgust. Not because he smelled like an irish spring, no, but because the thought of him trying to blend in with people, with  _ humans _ , was simply nauseating.

I took another quick sniff before the scent vanished as he did around the corner.

I raised an eyebrow to question why he was acting even more unpleasant than usual, but dismissed the thought.   
Little did I expect, as I walked into the humid room, to be blown away, fullforce by whatever evergreen-scented science experiment was just conducted in that shower. The aroma was  _ so pungent _ , it weighed down even  _ more _ in the already condensing, wet air. I thought I was going to suffocate before I was even able to turn around and kill the very man who had unknowingly just set me up for my demise; death via shitty shower gel.

"Shizu-chan what the-"

I turned right back around the corner to file my grievance, but stopped short upon the sight before me. Shizuo was standing about ten feet away, pulling a knit, long sleeve, white shirt over his head. 

All this time, I had never given much thought as to what Shizuo’s clothes had hidden beneath them. From what Shinra had told me, Shizuo was always breaking bones, ever since primary school, when he first met the blonde. He had always told me that his bone recovery was almost inhumanly fast, and I could vouch witness to that upon our high school days together, however a lot less frequent. There was only mention of how the brute was tearing his muscles down every time he used his monstrous strength. I had always just assumed that when the blonde wore a sling or brace, it was to align whatever fractured or broken bone lay within the splint. I had never really  _ thought _ about how he was constantly building muscle, since he had always been so thin and lanky when we met.  _ That  _ is half of what made the moron so laughable.

He was still skinny, but you could see the subtle definition of muscles in his abdominals. They weren’t quite a six pack- _ you had to have more meat on your bones before you could achieve that kind of excess bulk _ . And despite Shizuo eating as much junk food and sugar as he did, his fast metabolism and genetics were on his side. Nonetheless, the lean ab muscles and deep “V” along his stomach was...quite the sight. Not that I would admit it.

His upper chest wasn’t completely sculpted either, but he had visible pectoral muscles. The other muscles and ligaments along his sides shifted along the bones of his ribs as he crawled into his shirt.

He was absolutely beautiful. I could feel my face begin to warm against my will as I watched him.

In my brief state of awe, I remembered that the other night, I had been so caught up in our game of cat and mouse, I hadn’t quite had the chance to appreciate how smooth and sunkissed his skin was. He practically glowed, like some Grecian god, from the rays of light penetrating through the glass window, as opposed to the dim-lit atmosphere that hid these features days before.

I was still catching my breath when he spoke to me.

involuntarily betray   
"Flea,” he said in a husky voice with a hint of confusion. It was enough to send an involuntary shiver down my spine, as I immediately snapped my attention from his abdomen to meet his eyes. “If you keep standin’ there with your mouth open, a real flea might hop in it."   
I felt the betrayal of more blood rushing to my cheeks. Despite it, I composed myself to muster a sarcastic response.

“And here I didn’t think you cared,” I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms, putting a majority of my weight on one hip. “I figured if I stood with my mouth open long enough, the oxygen fairy would come along and relieve my lungs from the suffocating strain from whatever product you used that seems to have tainted all the clean air in here,” I scoffed.

“The hell are you talking about?” he said, cringing in response.

I sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You smell like the kinds of potpourri boutiques the elderly keep in their homes to mask the stench of their slowly decaying bodies.”

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” His facial expression didn’t know whether to look more offended or appalled by my accusation. “Do you even think before you say shit like that so casually?”

“That’s rich, coming from you,” I sneered. “Do you even  _ bother _ sampling the odors of what shampoo you use? No wonder you have so few brain cells, you’re hot boxing yourself every time you take a  shower.”

“Actually, my shampoo smells like coconut,” he stated firmly, defending himself, as if that wasn’t the most flamboyant thing I had ever heard leave the blonde’s mouth. He must have realized it too, by the way he averted his eyes and clenched his jaw. I felt myself being relieved of some of the humiliation.

“Oh really?” I drew out the syllable. I tried keeping a straight face, but my shoulders shook as I held back my laughter. “I couldn’t tell.”

He grumbled a curse and began to walk over to me. I was certain he was going to punch me, in fact I braced for it. Instead, he pushed past me as he unhooked his jacket from a hanger in the closet, not bothering to put it on before he grabbed his cigs off the table and was out the door with a slam.

I lost it as soon as he was out of the room, feeling the dampness in my eyes as I walked over to the window to open it.

I waited ten minutes just to watch brute walk out of the building to sit himself down on a bench, slouching as he pulled a cigarette to his lips to light it.

A smile appeared on my lips as I watched him smash the butt into the ashtray and pull out a second.

I closed the window, now having enough fresh air circulating in the room to finish getting ready.   
By the time Shizuo got back, I was already buttoned up in my winter jacket wearing a beanie, and texting Shinra to meet us in the lobby.

When we made it outside, it was more cloudy than usual, making it seem like it was actually later in the afternoon rather than morning.   
We began walking to the ski shop like we did at the beginning of every day. When we arrived, the man working inside was organizing some shelves. He turned around to greet us when the chime of the door rang.   
"You kids goin' out again today?" the old man smiled, looking at us from behind the counter.   
"Yeah. It's awfully dark outside though," Shinra said gesturing to the window.   
"Well, you probably won't be out there for too long, there's a cold front moving in tonight," he said, and we all looked past the mountains where the clouds were noticeably darker. "The forecast for this evenin' says there's going to be quite the thunder hailstorm."   
"I didn't even think you got weather like that around here," Shinra said thoughtfully, engaging in the conversation.   
The man chuckled and shrugged.  "It's not often, but when it does happen, it gets pretty scary. I just hope the backup generator is workin'. We've had power outages here before."   
On that note, we left the ski shop even more paranoid about the weather than before. The sky looked ominous and the wind was starting to pick up.   
Gazing up at the sky of smokey grey, I thought about what the man had said, not realizing I had fallen behind until Kadota called back to me. I ran up to meet them still admiring the monstrous storm that was quickly approaching.   
I followed in the same step as Shinra, looking around at the significantly smaller amount of people than the previous days. He was talking to himself, I assumed, since I wasn’t responding, while in front of us, Shizuo and Dotachin were exchanging their own quiet conversation.

I studied the back of Shizuo’s head as he walked. How much of an idiot he was for not wearing a hat or earmuffs. I could see when he would turn to look at Kadota, that his nose and cheeks were slightly pink from the frigid air. The cold must not have an affect on him though, if he’s made it this far without getting sick yet.

As we continued to walk, a light bulb went off in my head. I came to a halt while they remained walking, not at all noticing me as I bent down slowly, picking up a handful of snow and packing it gently in my gloved hands. I wound my arm back before thrusting it forward with as much force as my coat would let me.   
Of course I hit my target right on the back of his head.

He stopped in his tracks, gloved fists clenched, and he began to tremble. I could have sworn the snowball evaporated completely against his hot head.   
"Here we go again..." Shinra sighed pushing up his glasses, tiredly. Kadota pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.   
The blonde turned around slowly, and I braced myself to let the chase begin.   


* * *

_ Shizuo _   
  
" _ IZAAAAAYAAAAA-KUUUUN _ !" The growl came from my belly and rose to the back of my throat and out my mouth in a horrific boom.   
As soon as I faced him, he hightailed it back giggling, yes  _ giggling _ , like a madman. That was the only signal I needed to start racing behind him with the cold air stinging my face.   
It was much harder chasing him in the snow. My feet kept sinking into the ground and the cold made my joints delay. He was still surprisingly quick on his feet...probably because he was a lot lighter than me.   
“ _ I'll kill him! I'll kill him!” _ was the only thing running through my mind.   
"I'M SWEAR I’M REALLY GONNA KILL YA THIS TIME, FLEA!" I barked ahead, still figuring out the quickest way I could get through all this  _ damn snow. _   
He simply laughed louder.

"Oh, Shizu-chan, what kind of relationship do we have if it's just based on empty promises~?" he called back almost  _ skipping _ through the snow.

_ We’ll see who’s laughing when I punch that annoying grin off your face. _ And I forced myself to tread harder.   
I chased him around the whole mountain side, dodging trees, skiers, tubers, and everyone else enjoying the outdoors. People were watching, of course. They always did during the our pursue.   
I was running out of breath, and he was still pretty far ahead. I shook my head, not allowing myself to think of giving it up. But I was tired of running in circles and tired of his damn game...So I did what any other man would do.   
I skidded to a halt next to a group of kids making a snowman who had stopped to watch me hunting down the flea.

“Sorry about this,” I mumbled as I grabbed it by it’s sides and didn’t hesitate to fling it at my target as hard as I could when his back was turned.   
It felt more satisfying than I had expected to watch the cluster-fuck of snow fly through the air and totally wipe him out.   
I felt a prideful grin make it’s way to my lips. _ Not as graceful as you thought, huh, flea? _   
I ran ahead to meet the man laying face down in the snow, forgetting to acknowledge the kids I had just mortified. I picked him up by his hood like a wet rat and made him face me, hitting my forehead hard against his. I was panting heavily, and with each breath, the hot air steamed out of my nose and mouth as I spoke.   
_ "Gotcha you stupid bastard!"  _ my voice grated roughly against my ragged breathing.   
I looked into his half-lidded,crimson eyes, barely phased at all. It actually pissed me off even more that he looked completely bored,  _ right _ as I was about to suckerpunch him.   
I wound my fist back, flexing my knuckles, more ready for this moment than any I had ever been all my life.

It was his sudden smile that made me falter, before he leaning forward bringing his lips to my nose.   
My mind went fuzzy and I felt the support in my legs leave my body. Losing my balance, I fell to the cold, wet ground, the snow softening my landing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys are enjoying the story thus far. The next part I'm changing up a little bit, so if you've already read the work on ff, there will be a significant amount of change to it...  
> I'm still working on what I think fits best, and I'm tossing back some ideas back and forth with my co-editors, but hang in there!  
> Thank you again, for everyone who is sticking with this story! Your kudos and comments mean the world to me, and I hope you guys will see it out to the end, because I have a lot planned for the Rajin gang~


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here's the next part! This one's a little bit shorter, but still a roller coaster ride of emotions.

_ Izaya _   
  
I don't know what brought me to do it. Instinct? Self defense? Impulse? But the next thing I knew I was on top of the blonde's chest and he was looking up at me horrified. I took this as an opportunity to take even more advantage of him.   
Grinning wickedly down at him, I bent lowered my lips to his ear and whispered in my most irresistible voice, "don't you just _ love _ our game Shizu-chan? Because I do. I like it a  _ looot~ _ ." I forced more of my warm breath in his ear on the last syllable than necessary. I chuckled a little bit when he shuddered from it.   
_ You just make it too easy for me... _   
He recovered quickly, and I felt my back hit the ground with robust force. Thankfully the snow absorbed most of the shock instead of my spine. He was hovering over me, his lip curled back in a snarl like the animal he was, fist clenched and drawn. I knew I couldn't escape him now by the way his other arm bracketed around me, caging me in.   
I chuckled nervously, wincing as I brought my hands up to gesture my surrender.   
But at the last instant I thought of one last tactic to save myself. If something like that worked on Shizuo before, there's no way it wouldn't work now.

I shifted under him to press my right thigh between his legs, giving him a sly smirk. "I never realized how much I liked being under you," I purred rubbing my leg against his inner thighs, meeting his gaze with my seductive one.   
His face flushed the darkest I had seen yet, and my smile grew wider, as I could tell he was taken back, not sure whether to punch me still or get off me as soon as possible. He chose the latter, rising to his feet to brush himself off and face away from me.   
_ Izaya: 1, Shizu-chan: 0 _ .   
" _ Finally! _ " I heard a familiar, out of breath voice panting behind me. Shinra was bent his over knees trying to catch his breath, Kadota right behind him.   
_ Oh look Shizu-chan, your knights in shining armor are here to save you from further humiliation. _   
"Well," Shinra began, still heaving for breaths, "looks like the two of you didn't kill each other after all," he chided, after regaining some oxygen in his lungs.   
“Are you referring to Shizu-chan’s fantasies about killing me? He keeps saying that he swear’s he’ll do it one day, but we both know he’s only lying to himself~,” I cooed, lingering behind Shinra in case the brute were to snap again. I’m sure Shinra needed a good ass-kicking for something or other, and frankly, I was tired of running.   
"Ne, isn't that right Shizu-chan~?"   
Nothing.   
"I mean, you practically started this whole thing," I scoffed, turning to look at the blonde and he didn’t budge.   
"You just make it too easy for me.” My cheerful tone remained, but my brows knit in confusion as to why the  _ hell _ wasn’t Shizuo doing something by now?   
Not a word. His back was turned and he was just staring at the ground.   
Without trying to show any annoyance, I twirled over to where he stood and looked up at him, closely, but attentive enough to dodge any second.

His face was still flushed, eyes wide and dilated, but not blinking.   
I smirked inwardly and wondered, _ did I hit a nerve, you monster? _   
"Shinra~," I called loudly into Shizuo’s ear. "I think I broke him~!" I sang proudly, pointing at the blonde in the most obnoxious way possible.   
Shinra came over and gave one tug on his arm.

"Looks like the weather is starting to pick up again." Our bespectacled friend nodded towards the range of mountains where black clouds were approaching at an alarming rate.

I hadn’t realized until now that the wind had picked up and the strands of my hair were whipping my face. I looked around and noticed that everyone else had already headed inside.   
"We can find something to do inside," Kadota said as he approached the three of us.   
With that, we headed back towards the resort, not saying a word. No other snowballs or snowmen flying through the air. Just silence. The blonde still looked ghostly as we walked, but no one else mentioned it, if they noticed.

Back at the rooms, we changed out of our winter clothes and into something more comfortable.

Well, I changed in my room. Shizuo had quietly snuck out to change in the room across the hall, which was fine with me.   
I heard a knock on the door and when I answered, Kadota was standing there in a T-shirt and shorts.   
"Can I help you?" I raised an eyebrow apathetically.   
"Get changed, we're going to the gym downstairs."   
I mentally rolled my eyes. Did they really expect me to do something stupid like-   
But then I remembered this morning. Curiosity got the better of me as I let my thoughts wander back to this morning when I had walked into my roommate changing. Something about the possibility of ‘observing’ that again piqued my interest.   
"Fine, fine." I said waving him away and shutting the door.   
I quickly changed and grabbed a key, because I knew Shizuo would forget. I met the three outside the door and we headed down the glass enclosed elevator.   
We found our way to the gym, which I remembered was over by the hot springs, thankful to find that It wasn't too crowded, but it wasn't empty.   
The gym, for a gym at least, was tidy looking and well kept. Mirrors lined most of the wall space; above them, large flat screen TV's. It had an upstairs and downstairs. The first floor had a front desk, snack bar, basket ball court and through a glass window, I could see swimming pool in the room next door. Upstairs looked like there were treadmills and other contraptions for more intense workouts. Of course, Shizuo led the way straight upstairs towards the more intimidating machinery.   
Shinra and I chose to walk, rather than run on the treadmills-I had had enough running for today. While Kadota and Shizuo left to go do some lifting. We ran side by side together, not saying anything until Shinra cleared his throat and spoke up.   
"So…” I closed my eyes, already knowing where this was going. “What's with Shizuo? He's been kinda quiet since he chased you earlier. What's that about?" Shinra could be more observant when he wanted to be.   
"Couldn't tell you,” I shrugged during my power walk. “Maybe his brain finally gave up on him. Poor guy. So young too..." I feigned sympathetic smile.   
Shinra just rolled his eyes and said nothing after that.   
We walked for about 30 minutes before we were both bored and tired, so we decided to see what the other two were up to.   
Over where the foreign machines were, we found our friend and Shizuo. Kadota was spotting him as he lifted, shirtless, of course. I didn't even understand why he lifted, it's not like he needed  _ practice _ or anything, but hey, with this view, I wasn't about to complain.   
I glanced over to see the weight he was pressing, and not surprisingly, it was 200 kilograms. The bar looked so fragile in his grip, I thought it might snap in half.

The muscly men around us were looking at the him in utter disbelief, mouths dropped. To Kadota Shinra and I, this was nothing. We had, on almost a daily occurrence back in Tokyo, seen him strip traffic signs straight out of the cement. Even throwing vending machines was common for him if he was pissed off enough.

But under the unknown circumstances, the people here looked at him as if he were a monster, considering his thin physique. They weren’t wrong.

Nonetheless, upon seeing their surprised expressions, I sensed a glow of pride within me.   
I continued to watch as he lifted, studying how his muscles moved under his skin; flexing and relaxing with each rise and fall of the weight. His body was dampened from the sweat, glistening under the fluorescents above us. Quite frankly, I was surprised he was even breaking a sweat. But to be fair, I was not complaining, seeing the small droplets that rolled down his forehead under his shaggy bangs. His tanned skin from the previous summer slightly remained, and as my watchful gaze traveled down to the lean muscles of his abs, I felt something inside me stir against my will.

He was... _ hot _ . Even if it  _ were  _ Shizuo we were talking about.   
"Okay, Shizuo, that's 100 reps, I think you're good," Kadota chuckled.   
He mounted the weight back in place and sat up. the brunette handed him a towel and he wiped the sweat from his forehead and off the back of his neck. 

Despite having lean muscles, they looked more defined from just overworking.

When he stood up, my eyes instantly caught notice of the faded scar across his width of his chest.  
 _Fuck he looks good_ , I thought, and I could no longer deny it, no matter how much I tried. 

_ Besides, I've already seen the package deal, _ I smirked, and nearly chuckled aloud as I remembered the sight.   
I felt a nudge at my side interrupting me from my day dream.   
"You're staring a little _ too  _ much~," Shinra whispered beside me with a light chuckle.   
Instantly I blinked my attention away to give the brunette the best apathetic expression I could muster. “Don’t you know the difference between observing and  _ staring _ , Shinra?”

He didn’t seem to take the bait, smiling all the more to himself.

When we left the gym, we headed for the rooms. I let Shizuo take the first shower, since he decided it was safe enough to use the one in our room, instead of burdening our neighbors.

All of us changed and went to dinner together, just like every other night. The food was good and we were all able to enjoy a peaceful conversation. The blonde seemed to be in a better mood too.   
After that, we returned to Shinra and Dotachin’s room to play some video games. I had brought my laptop over to continue working on a text I received from my employer. It wasn’t an emergency, rather, it I was a question as to whether I heard any rumors of my classmates taking part of any gang activities recently. I told him I hadn’t heard much of anything yet, but decided to do some research of my own.   
"Come on Izaya, don't you want a turn?" Shinra asked, and I looked up to see him gesturing the remote control to me. His hopeful expression almost made me consider it.   
It was tempting. And I had been working for quite a while...   
I sighed. "Alright, just one game though," I said, closing the monitor of my computer.   
I moved over to take a seat on the bed and Kadota handed me his controller.   
"You should play against Shizuo. He’s an easy opponent, seeing as he sucks at this," Shinra laughed cheerfully.   
"Says the idiot who chose fucking Smash Bros..." the blonde’s eyes narrowed at the insult. "’sides I'm done for the night," he said tossing the controller to Shinra, who barely caught it.   
Feeling annoyed, I got up and grabbed my laptop and bag, following the blonde as he headed out the door. He didn't even hold our room door open for me when we walked in, and it nearly slammed against my face.   
“Ne, what's your damage?! You've been acting like even more of a child all day!" I accused him, still trying to keep my cool. But seriously, he was getting on my last nerve. Again, I was trying not to let it show.   
He just ignored me and grabbed his coat and a pack of cigarettes.   
"Where are you going?" I said, holding my ground in front of the door, but I already knew.

I kept my glare at him, even as he brushed past me and I heard the door click shut.

* * *

_ Shizuo _

  
I hurried out of the room, not quite slamming the door after me, but only in courtesy of the neighboring rooms. I didn’t give a flying fuck if it slammed in that rat bastard’s face. There was so way in  _ hell _ I was going to stick around, alone with that damn-   
“- _ oof!” _   
I looked down to grimace at the object I had that had just blocked my way, but my expression instantly vanished when I realized it was a person   
She was a short girl with light blonde, almost platinum hair. It was unmistakably natural, judging by her also light coloured eyes, and it hung just brushing over her shoulders. She wearing a V-neck that helped enhance her already protruding breasts…

I felt my face get a hot and had to remember to stop myself from staring and apologize for running into the stunned girl.   
"I'm sorry about that...I uh, didn't see you there..." I stuttered, too ashamed and embarrassed to make eye contact.   
"No problem," was all she had to say, no doubt with a thick Russian accent, and continued walking around me.   
I watched her continue down the hall for a moment, not at all satisfied with my half-ass apology. I felt like I should go back up to her and make sure she was okay, but couldn’t bring myself to follow her as she rounded a corner and disappeared in the opposite direction I was going.   
Then it dawned on me, that our brief encounter had distracted me from the flea, which in turn made me slightly less angry. It's not every day you bump into a pretty girl. Literally.   
I too, went on my way, going in the direction of the elevator and down to the lobby. I couldn’t help but let my eyes linger on the calming fountain, that’s noise seemed to follow me through the automatic front doors.   
When I stepped outside, the first thing I noticed was the bitter cold. Not like during the day when the sun is at least partially out, but as soon as it got dark like this, the temperature dropped into the negatives. What was even worse, was the storm that had finally reached the resort grounds and the blustery wind was stinging my face and chapping my lips. Rain and hail could be heard beating down on the tin overhang above that was protecting me from the downpour. I took my usual seat on a bench that was just outside doors. I figured my visit out here would be brief.

Pulling out my pack of cigarettes from the breast pocket of my jacket, I stuck one between my lips. Before I could light it though, I heard the door open behind me.   
"I advise against staying out under such circumstances." I heard a feminine voice with the same accent as before addressing me.   
I turned around to see the girl. This time I was able to get a better look at her, and I recognized her from from one of my classes. Vorona, I think her name was.   
"Eh, I'm used to stepping out in the cold," I shrugged, my voice sounding more raspy due to the cold, but I hoped she would think the shakiness was also from the weather.   
"I shall accompany you," she said robotically, and I moved over as she took the  seat next to me. "Remember rule number one. The system in which two people must stay together at all times."   
I lit my cigarette and took a deep breath of smoke. The burning sensation helped warm me a little, but I realized that I hadn’t first thought about asking,  "I-uh, hope this doesn't bother you..." I say flicking off some of the ash, and exhaled so the smoke would travel down wind instead of at her.   
"It's no problem."   
We sat there in an awkward silence for a while. I would have broken it but I didn't know what to say to her.

When I finally couldn’t stand the quietness any longer, I gathered enough courage to ask her the simplest question that came to mind.   
"So...which class do we have together again?"   
_ Shit, shit, shit! Why did I ask that?! Fuck! _   
"Japanese history," her voice was monotone as ever.   
Now I seem like an idiot. Good job, Shizuo, you’ve officially offended the first girl to bravely approach you.   
Before I could apologize for my carelessness, a loud crack of thunder made us both jump.   
"'seems the storms getting worse..." I said, my heart racing from the surprise, as I took my last few puffs of smoke before crushing it into the ashtray.   
We got up and hurried back into the lobby together and went up the elevator once more. Needless to say it was eerily quiet. Neither of us said anything, but she seemed to be less phased by it than me.   
I've always had anxiety when it came to talking to people. I never knew what to say and when. I had a hard time coming up with responses...mostly due to the fact that others were too apprehensive to initiate conversations with me in the first place.

It's just that her being so attractive threw me off even more...   
_ Your anti-social behavior has finally caught up to you, hmm, Shizuo? _ I thought, but instead of my own voice, it was the flea's ringing in the back of my mind.

_ Great. Him again. _   
I had totally forgotten the reason why I needed a cigarette in the first place. It wasn't because I was angry, I just...What he said earlier was too similar to the nightmares I had been having.  _ That Izaya. _   
_ Was he even serious...? _

When I considered the possibilities, I came up with the most logical conclusion that he was just messing with my head. Just like always...right?   
"Walking me to my room is not necessary. I will find it no problem," Vorona's voice interrupted my train of thought. I hadn't realized I had been following her to her own room.   
"Uh, yeah, okay, sorry about that. Um...goodnight, I guess," I said and stopped in my tracks.   
"Same for you. Do not let mattress insects bite," she bowed politely and continued walking down the hall.   
I stood there for a good moment thinking about my next move. I knew I'd have to go back to the room at some point but I tried postponing it as long as possible.   
I checked my phone for the time. It was 11:42. Way over my stupid curfew.   
_ Maybe the flea is asleep already _ , I half prayed in my mind.   
I began walking back towards my room slowly, letting as much time drag on as possible, when suddenly the lights above me began to flicker.   
_ ‘Guess I should hurry up then, before I get locked out for the night completely _ . There was no telling if the electronic locks would still work if the power went out, and I didn’t want to take any chances to see if the louse would let me back in the room if it happened.   
I finally reached door 1221 and unlocked it with the key.   
I entered an entirely dark room, wondering if I had made it there just in time, or if the flea had actually gone to sleep. But when lightning flashed through the window, in the brief second of the light, I noticed a small mountain under the covers of the flea's bed.   
Then there was the loud boom of thunder that always followed the lightning, and I felt the vibrations resonate through the floor and off the walls. Once the eruption subsided, all was silent except for the pitter-patter of frozen droplets pelting the glass, and a faint whimpering from the other side of the room...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this one I actually didn't end up changing toooo much, but the next one for sure will be different. If you don't keep up with my ff account, don't worry about it because I haven't replaced any of the chapters yet. This is where everything new is going until i'm caught up (which will probably be around chapter 20 or so). If you have read the scene after this on my other account, disregard that one completely, for there will be much more development in the updated one. For those of you who haven't, you're lucky, lol. The inexperience of my previous writing is shameful >-> I can't even begin to explain how much more satisfied I am with this new updated version of my fanfic. So please, continue to follow this one! ^-^ All will come in due time...  
> And as always, thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good evening! Here is the next chapter! This one I had to do a lot of tweaking to to build character development and more in-depth relationships between the two main characters. There are also more thought bubbles to help better understand our protagonists. So without further ado, enjoy the update!

_ Shizuo _

I stood in the open door for a moment, my mind coming to a blank. I stared, unblinking, at the heap of blankets piled over a shaking figure.

_ Who  _ is _ that...? _ I thought in disbelief, not coming to any conclusions at all. Before I closed the door, I checked to make sure I had entered the correct room, despite the key in my hand being able to open the lock. Sure enough, it was the same room I had been staying in for almost a week. Nonetheless, I hesitantly closed the door behind me, nulling the room to zero source of light.

Another flash of lightning and crash of thunder was followed by a sharp yelp and movement under the covers.

_ It  _ can't _ be...? _

I stripped from my coat, setting it down as I cautiously made my way over to the bed that wasn't my own. Unaware of what compelled me to, I sat down next to the figure and pulled the sheets back. A burst of lightning gave me enough light for a split second, and I gasped at what I found curled up as tightly as the human body could possibly compress itself. The raven sat shuddering with his arms wrapped around his knees, eyes wide open, staring blankly at nothing.

Another loud explosion of thunder shook the room, startling us both. He jumped when he saw me hovering where his shield had been, and I subconsciously tightened my grip on the layer of fleece.

“Izaya, what-”

“Go away! I don’t want to look at you.” It was the sharpest I had ever heard him address me, but that was my least of concerns. I ignored him as he tried to grab the blanket from my grasp, simply holding it out of range. Not that I was trying to piss him off, but I simply could not  _ believe _ what I was seeing.

“Why are you-”

“I said,  _ GO AWAY!” _ His voice broke as he snapped at me once again. He gave up on reaching for the blanket and curled in on himself more in hopes of further melting into the mattress.

I was in shock, to put it into simple terms. I didn't know how to handle a situation like this; the flea, so defenseless, so vulnerable. But most of my bewilderment came from the fact that I didn't feel so hateful toward him. Instead, I felt a strange sense of pity.

My body moved before my brain registered what it was doing as I moved closer to pull the raven into something that resembled an awkward side hug.

“Shizu-chan! What the  _ hell-!” _

“Shut up, dammit!” I barked, and he jumped in my hold. Surprisingly he obeyed, and his quivering started to slow down. I could feel the thrum of his racing heart nearly beat out of his chest against the side of my own ribcage. He was hot too, the heat of his body stunned me as he settled into my arms without further protest.

Moments passed and felt him relax little by little in our strange form of embrace. At some point in time, his fingers managed to curl around the fabric of my shirt, gripping more tightly every time the thunder resounded, but would relax once things quieted down.

“I hate you.” He finally said, but to my amazement, he turned his head and buried it in my chest.

“I know.”

We stayed like that for a while until the thunder became more distant, passing through the area. Eventually, the outbursts started to die down, sounding faint and further away. All that remained was the sound of hail that had turned to rain.

I had dozed off for what seemed like the twenty minutes that had gone by after I last spoke. I felt something stir in my arms and looked over to the flea who was moving to sit upright, still wrapping his arms around his knees. I too, moved to sit up straighter, but didn’t say anything. He was tense now, and for some reason I didn’t want to test his patience.

“You shouldn’t have done that.” He said it with a suppressed sigh, instead of the bite I was expecting.

“I don’t see why not,” I shrugged. It was a simple statement.

Either way, he looked over at me in surprise, brows knitted, and I could see the wetness that remained in his eyes. His mouth was open, as if he wanted to respond with a challenge, but closed it, resting his head back on his knees.

“I’m not weak…”

“Never said you were,” I openly confessed. I bit my tongue before I could accidently let anything else that was completely stupid slip.

He glanced at me from the corner of his sharp eyes, scoffing. “That’s rich, coming from you. You think everything is weak.”

“Maybe physically,” I said in defense, but I didn’t know why. I didn’t know why I was defending his ego.

“Oh yeah? And here all this time I thought I was your strongest opponent.” The sternness in his voice softened, and there was a familiar lilt to his statement. It was almost as playful and sarcastic like he usually was.

Something about the way he said it allowed me to relax more, and I didn’t feel like I was walking on eggshells when I spoke to him.

“You’re still a scrawny-ass fleabag.”

“And you’re still a monster.” He turned to look at me with a smile, and for a moment, I almost thought of it as a complement from how easy spoken he was, but the smirk remained in his tone.

“You’d never let me think otherwise,” I sighed, halfheartedly returning a smile as I looked at him.

His eyes widened and he looked away from me instantly.

I canted my head in question, not sure if it was safe to ask, but if I had to guess he looked almost flustered. I felt an unfamiliar feeling stir within me and looked away from him as well, fiddling with the hem of my shirt.

“You should go to sleep,” he mumbled, his jaw still rested on the tops of his bent knees.

“Right…” I said, slowly shifting to get up.

Something caught my sleeve, and I looked back sending the raven a questioning look at the grip he had on my wrist.

“I-”

I didn’t move, waiting for him to fully finish his sentence. He looked away considering his answer, and I felt the hold on my arm slack slightly.

“Here…”

I didn’t even have time to mask the astonishment in my voice. “ _ Here?!” _

He flinched and recovered by lowering his eyebrows in offense.

“No, on the floor,” he said in overthetop sarcasm. “Yes  _ here _ , what if it comes back?”

My eyebrows raised and my jaw dropped.  _ Was he really asking that?! _

“Don’t look so surprised! What if it comes back? What am I going to do? Just wake you up again? Not that you haven’t been doing that to me every night since I got here.” He frantically explained trying to defend himself. “I-!”

“Fine.” I sat back down crossing my arms. “I’ll stay. On  _ one  _ condition.”

His eyebrows shifting in inquiry, but I could see the hope floating in the crimson eyes staring back at me. I could see the way he bit his lip almost with worry as he awaited my response.

“You’re staying on  _ that  _ side of the bed.” I pointed over to where the second pillow sat untouched.

His shoulders liberated from stress and he crawled obediently over to the farther side of the mattress getting under the covers. He was turned away from me, and I stalled a while before settling in myself.

“It’s for the better, anyway,” he said with a hint of amusement. “Who know’s, maybe you’ll try molesting me in my sleep~.”

My face heated up and I knew exactly what he was referring to. With the comment I felt even more restless.

“Shut up louse, if anything,  _ you _ need to keep your hands to yourself,” I prompted bashfully. Burying my face in the feathery pillow.

“There’s no way I’d do anything with  _ you _ ,” he chuckled teasingly. “I have standards, Shizu-chan, and the first requirement is being human.”

“Yeah, yeah, just go to sleep or I’ll leave.”

He didn’t respond after that, and I finally relaxed when I heard his soft, steady breathing.

For the first time in a week, I slept soundlessly without a dream.

In fact, I didn’t stir at all until I could feel the rays of the early sun shining in through the window.

I was so warm. I felt like a cat that had curled up in the light. The pillow beneath me was the softest I felt like it had ever been, and I pulled the warmth towards me more, nuzzling my chin into the soft silk under it. My nose twitched when I felt a feather that must have been poking out of the fabric and i tried brushing it away, but when I reached up to brush it away, the feathers were a lot finer than I had imagined. And for some reason the pillow they were coming from was more solid than I remembered.

I pulled away to open one bleary eye to see what the deal was with this pillow, and it took a few seconds for my eyes to focus.

It was fuzzy at first but when my vision cleared, two bright ruby eyes were staring back at me.

"Good morning, Shizu-chan~!" the familiar voice sang merrily.

I jumped at the sound and backed away so much that I fell completely off the bed, taking the sheets with me.

"The-the hell?!" I panted, horrified, looking up at him with wide eyes.

He laid on his stomach and propped his head up with his hands as he looked down at me smirking. He looked almost feline, his half lidded eyes heavy with sleep still looked teasingly playful.

"Shizu-chan is quite the cuddler when he sleeps," he smirked.

_ Fuck, did he really just say that?! _

I was utterly mortified that I had been within such a close proximity as him, gripping the soft sheets with a hold that could be borderline ripping them if I wasn’t careful.

My heart was still racing from the fall and embarrassment when I realized, "how do I know  _ you _ didn't put me like that?!" I accused, narrowing my eyes.

"Chill with the animosity, Shizu-chan." He rolled on to his back and looked at me upside down. His dark bangs hung down as he stretched his arms behind him.  _ Seriously, was he actually a cat in his former life? _ "I'm not going to run and _ tell _ everyone about it. You should be thankful that I haven't even told anyone about all the wet dreams you have."

"That's not what they are!" I automatically interjected.

_ Well, in technical terms... _

"Yes they are," he dismissed me to carry on with a new topic. "Besides, I have a deal to offer."

"A deal?" I huffed in disbelief, raising an eyebrow in question.

What kind of scam was I going to be dragged into now?

"Yes, a deal," he affirmed.

A little curious, but still hesitant, I canted my head to the side. "Keep going," I commanded.

He smiled, if but for only a second before it disappeared into something else; a new mask that I wasn’t quite familiar with. He looked down as he began to play with the rings on his fingers. "You see," he began, and my attention was also drawn to the silver band on his index. "What happened last night was something I never intended for anyone," he looked up at me, "or any _ thing _ to witness..."

My brows subconsciously furrowed in thought as I tried to recollect the previous night. Since I had been so tired, running on restless sleep for nearly an entire week, the only thing noteworthy this time was that I actually  _ slept.  _ Aside waking up nuzzling into-

“- _ Oh my god!”  _ It hit me like a ton of bricks.

The dark haired male sighed deeply rolling his eyes.

“ _ You _ were-and the-with, w-with  _ me _ -I”

“Yes,  _ yes _ ,  _ Shizu-chan _ , I’m  _ very _ aware of what happened.  _ I’m  _ not the one who needs reminding…” he scolded me, elevating himself once again into a sitting position, turning away from me.

All I could do was sit and stare at him, unblinking. He hadn’t fully turned his back towards me and I could see the pink that dusted the cheek of his profile. His silky, black hair had a warm, red undertone in the early morning sunlight that streamed in through the glass behind him. Dark tufts stuck up in sign of bed head on the side he had slept dominantly on, making me consciously run a hand through my own.

The stagnant white noise of rain was still an all too recent in my memory. I could clearly recall every time the flea would let out a yelp and jump at the sound of thunder resonate in the back of my skull. 

I shuddered at the mere thought. It was something I wouldn’t be able to easily shake off, I didn’t want to believe it. I wanted to forget and dismiss the idea altogether...But a small part of me, deep down, cherished that knowledge. It wasn’t as though I would use it to my advantage, no, but knowing for  _ myself _ , that I had witnessed an Izaya that nobody else had seen before...For some sick reason I felt  _ privileged _ .

"Look, I'll ask nicely,” he interrupted me from my troubling thoughts. “If you could please refrain from telling anyone, and forget about it entirely...I won't say a word about the stuff that's been happening with you either," his expression was stoic but I could sense the hint of wariness in the eyes staring back down at me. "Do we have a deal?"

"Deal."

I heard my voice answer before my thoughts could register. Something about this new information was clouding my perception of the man before me.

"Good. Now things can go back to normal," he said, satisfied with my answer and stood up.

"Yeah...but can I at least ask-"

"No questions." He snapped flatly with his back turned to me. His shoulders were tense and his hands had balled into fists.

After a moment I watched him relax and turn to look at me again with a smile. "We're forgetting it ever happened, ne?" There was still something about his aura that left me puzzled. The same expression of hurt and denial, and something else I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

We didn't say anything after that. Our morning routines went on as they always did, and the conversation at breakfast was the same as yesterday. Aside from the sudden burst of aggression in his tone from this morning, the louse didn't seem phased at all, carrying on as he would normally socialize. It really was like nothing had happened.

I on the other hand, couldn't stop thinking about it. I couldn’t help but dwell on the few facts I could gather to try to figure him out. A major part of me didn't believe what I had seen that night, and the other part didn't  _ want _ to believe.

_ That wasn't the flea...He wouldn't let his guard down like that under  _ any  _ circumstances. _

If there was one thing in this world I was certain of, it was that Izaya Orihara had no weakness. He was invincible, as much as I hated to accept it. No matter what the situation had been, all the years that I had known him, that sly smirk and cloy attitude of his never faltered. And I mean that in  _ any _ of the situations I had seen him in. Anything from the delinquents at school picking a fight with him to talking to obvious members that belonged to the yakuza, Izaya always remained overly confident in himself. It was such a miracle that anyone could go on this long in life without cracking under any pressure, I had always believed that he had something more than just a creepy, sociopathic, panjandrum personality wrong with him. I figured it went a lot deeper than that, but it was a mystery still, whatever it was.

I sat there at the table in thought whilst everyone else talked among themselves. I glanced over at the raven and he looked back up at me. His crimson eyes screamed knowing intimidation, and I averted my gaze quickly. The conversation between the other people sitting with us continued, oblivious to the obvious tension between me and the man sitting farthest down the table.

What I would give to have not seen what I did last night, but it kept replaying over and over in my head, almost like the dreams...

"You coming with us Shizuo?"

"Huh?" I snapped out of my own little world and turned to whoever’s voice had addressed me.

"I told you, you have to speak  _ slowly  _ and  _ clearly _ , Shinra," I heard the flea loudly whisper to the brunette beside him.

My brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Are you coming into town with us today? We wanted to do some more sightseeing and visit some of the shops they have here," he summarized, aware that I hadn’t paid a lick of attention to what they had been discussing.

"If we don't go she will do something awful," Kadota whispered so quietly next to me I had to crane my ear to hear him properly. I looked past his shoulder to see the girl next to him smiling as she chatted with her blonde friend.

"Uh, sure?" I said not really wanting to know what he meant by that.

"Great, then it's decided," she clapped her hands. "Everyone meet in the lobby in an hour."

After that I kind of zoned out of the conversation, getting lost in my own thoughts again until we left the dining area.

* * *

 

_ Izaya _

An eery silence filled the room once we returned, neither of us saying a word to the other. It wasn't unusual for the brute to  _ not  _ initiate a conversation with me, per se, but for myself, it was strange not to try to-no...not  _ wanting _ to pester him. An unsettling feeling had found a comfortable spot in the pit of my stomach, and I had felt clammy ever since I talked to the idiot earlier. I hadn’t expected myself to snap so easily, but at the very least I had managed to hide the majority of my annoyance ever since. Low and behold I remained feeling entirely humiliated, disgusted even, that that freak of nature had seen me in such a state.

I had decided that I would continue to play it off as though it had never happened. I figured that Shizuo’s brain probably couldn’t retain much information anyway, so all I could hope for was that he wouldn’t care enough to remember.

After getting ready, we met our friends down in the lobby within the hour just as we had planned. Erika led the way to one of the town buses that lingered around the entrance of the resort in the carpool lane. I sat by myself, of course, and Shizuo didn’t think twice to sit as far away from me as possible.

_ Remember, nothing ever happened, _ I mentally chanted.

My few hours of silently moping to myself were done. It was time to return to my normal self so that I could pester the brute to my discretion. That would surely help me get over my unnecessary pettiness.

The bus reached its stop in the middle of the small city and we filed off one by one out into the chilly atmosphere. Erika and Yumasaki turned to us with huge smiles across their faces as they spoke.

"Our first stop is about a block from where we are standing. I have a few places planned for us to visit, so keep up!" No one seemed to protest against the directions as we all followed the peppy girl down the snow-padded sidewalk of the old town.

Our first destination, how could I not have guessed, was a manga shop. It wasn’t an Animate store like back in Ikebukuro, but compared to the other shops around it, three floors made it stand out significantly.

When we went inside, the two otakus were almost immediately out of sight. The rest of us were a little less enthusiastic, but dispersed ourselves around expanse of the store. I didn't read manga, but having two younger sisters, I had a general idea of what everything was. I always heard them talking in their special lingo, like it was a separate dialect of japanese altogether, about "shipping" and things being "canon" and such. I knew a few stories because that's all my sisters would talk about, and for some strange reason they thought I enjoyed them discussing their "boys love" novels with me. Mairu was especially adamant about harassing me to buy her ‘adult magazines’ online.

I had lost the rest of the group as I wandered aimlessly, walking through aisles that were stacked with hundreds of little books. I must say, for a small town like this, I supposed there wasn’t much else to do but read.

As I headed upstairs, I saw our female friend running around with a stack of manga in her arms, excitedly calling to Kadota who trailed behind her with a bored expression, carrying several more books for his friend. Shaking my head, I continued down an aisle towards the back wall that was decorated with all kinds of colourful, promotional posters for new releases.

It surprised me when I saw Shizuo pick up and flip through the pages of one of the small books. It looked even more tiny in his hands than a normal persons. I glanced up at the category he was under and couldn’t help but snicker to myself.

" _ Oh, Shizu-chan~ _ ,” I purred, sauntering towards him. “I didn't know you were into _ that _ ~."

He turned to face me skeptically. "What?"

"Yaoi, I didn't know you were into that," I grinned widely back at him when his eyebrows knit in confusion, as if I had just accused him of the unthinkable.

"What the fuck is yaoi?"

I walked over to him slowly, picking up one of the novels with a more exotic cover and thumbed through several pages. Upon finding a page that piqued enough interest to share with the blonde, I turned the open manga up towards him. He lowered down to examine the page. 

"When two men love each other-” I began but was immediately interrupted as he scowled offendedly.

"Oh, gross!" he said dropping the book he was holding and turning away from the one in my hand.

I laughed at him as he wiped the invisible 'germs' from his hands on to his shirt, as I set the book neatly back in it’s proper place.

"Hey guys, we're about to leave," the boy with the long, shaggy hair, Togusa, came up behind us.

The blonde sent me a final glare before he and I followed him downstairs to the others finishing at the checkout.

Our second destination was a clothing store, then a souvenir shop. Then finally, last on the list was a coffee joint right in the center of town. Supposedly it was one of the best in Japan, but I seriously doubted that.

We reached the Coffee House and stood in line to take our orders. I didn’t bother looking at the menu when the server asked for my order. I asked for a simple, dark roast, black coffee, no cream and no sugar. I hated sweet things.

Upon receiving my drink, I wasn’t sure if they were just using up the remaining cups from the holidays that were decorated with little snowflakes, or if their cups were themed like this year-round, but didn’t think much of it when I took a sip. I was surprised that the coffee was much better than I had originally doubted and happily took another sip, humming in satisfaction. I took an empty seat at a two person table by the window and looked out to watch the passersby walking about in the achromatic atmosphere.

_ I wonder what they're like here... _ It had been a week and I hadn’t had nearly as many opportunities as I would have liked to do some people watching.

This reminded me of how I sometimes would go to Shibuya to the biggest intersection in the world; ‘The Scramble’ is what they called it. I would sit at the Starbucks on one of the upper floors and observe the mass of people who walked below me; thousands of bodies crossing at a time. Busy humans going who knows where, doing who knows what; I usually left that up to my imagination.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a chair protesting being pulled out from the table in front of me. I was surprised when it was Shizuo who took a seat, holding a glass of milk.

_ Adorable _ , I thought sarcastically to myself.

"Ne, as cute as this is, Shizu-chan, I'm calling it now, this isn't a date."

"What? No!" he said quickly looking personally offended.

I shook my head and sighed. "Yes? What is it?"

He was averting my gaze as he began to speak and idly started to drum his fingers against the glass of his drink. "Well uh...I...I didn't want to-um...No, I was wondering if..."

"Use your words, Shizu-chan." I waved my hand for him to continue, chuckling to myself as he tried forming a coherent sentence. His jaw clenched, then relaxed as he tried composing himself.

"Are we...cool?" he asked finally.

I had to admit I was a little taken aback by his question, but settled on letting out another suppressed sigh before answering. "Have we ever  _ really  _ been cool, Shizu-chan?” I noticed him bite his lower lip, regretting his choice of words. “If this is what I assume you're referring to then yes, things are fine," I said with as little emotion as I could muster, but in reality _ ,  _ things are not fine, not at all.

"Oh...okay good." Satisfied with the answer, he got up quickly to leave.

"Wait." What had compelled me to call out to him, to engage in another meaningless conversation that I was sure would go no where-I couldn’t tell you. I had to stop myself from awkwardly reaching out to him and pulled my hand away quickly back to it’s place around my cup. My grip tightened when he turned to me wearing the most puzzled expression.

"Sit." I ordered, curtly. Not sure what else to say.

Hesitantly he obeyed and sat back in the chair. We sat in silence as I picked my own brain for what to say to him next.  _ I’m just messing with you Shizu-chan, get the hell out of my face? Do you always get milk to drink when you go out?? Why did you ask me your question in the first place??? _

“So…” I began slowly enough, and I cleared my throat. "How's your family?" I leaned forward holding my coffee with both hands. That was probably the worst thing I could have come up with.

A little surprised at my question, he slowly responded, "they're...fine?" He was just as lost as I was here.

"That's good...And your brother is doing well I assume? I heard he got a pretty important lead in the school play."  _ Why am I even asking. I don’t care. _

"Yeah...he likes that kind of stuff..."  _ I know. _

"And your mother? Does she have a boyfriend now?" I proceeded for no reason.  _ Stop, stop it now. _

"Yeah..."

"What do you think of him?" I pressed further into conversation, feeling a bit of a cold sweat under the layer of my coat. It was too invested in it now, I couldn’t stop.

"He's cool...I guess...What's with all the family questions?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Just curious. We've been away for some time now, I'm sure they miss you..."  _ Did I just say that?  _ "I mean...if it's even possible to miss a brute like yourself." I scoffed, trying to covering it up. Despite the warmth coming from the drink in my hands, my palms felt clammy and cold.

He shook his head. "And your family? I don't suppose they miss you either."

"You're right, they don't," I said shortly, suddenly interested in the snowflakes on my cup.

"Huh?" Out of the corner of my eye, he looked surprised at my answer.

"They didn't even know I was leaving." I looked out the window again at some children playing in the snow as their parents watched, sitting on a nearby bench.

"Seriously?" he asked skeptically, and there was an underlying tone of concern in his voice.

"Seriously." I looked back at him blankly.

"Well that's...unfortunate." he said half apologetically.

That made me chuckle and I relaxed some. "No kidding...I'm used to it though. My parents were never around for me when I was young. Luckily for my sisters, they have someone like me to look out for them..." I trailed off placing my chin upright in my hand.

"Yeah, because you're the best role model for children," he snorted and I rolled my eyes. "I remember when my dad left my mom it was pretty hard. Not for me and Kasuka, we were pretty young, and never saw him much anyway. But my mom didn't know what to do with herself,” he confessed, unfolding his hands around his drink. “It was hard for her to work two jobs and take care of us, but she did it somehow." Looking down, he smiled inwardly to himself in admiration.

I considered the possibility that this was the short version of a story much more complex than just that. I never really thought much of Shizuo's home life. I knew that his father left when he was young, but I guess I had never really bothered to uncover what kind of effect it had on him.

"Why did he leave?" I wondered aloud, and I didn't expect him to answer, but he did.

"He kept cheating on my mom. They got a divorce when I was five. He left her for another woman."

"That's pretty unfortunate too." I frowned, feeling my own pang of frustration for him.

"Yeah, but he was a douchebag anyway, from what I remember. He emotionally abused my mom, and I'll never forgive him for that." Something about the way he said it made me think that I had been overlooking his loyalty to mother and younger brother. I didn’t expect them to be so close knit. 

"Things are fine now though, ne?"

"Yeah, things are good now. My mom's happy, so that's what matters."

I felt the edges of my lips curl into a small smile. "Good, I'm glad."

We sat unspeaking for a minute, making eye contact occasionally before one of us would break it to sip their drink. I'd never had a problem talking to people before, but this was different. I would start to feel my stomach knot every time I spoke so civilly with him. I took another sip of coffee waiting for some miracle to make the lack of conversation come to end, yet part of me thought to strike up another subject just to relieve the heavy awkwardness that lingered between us. However, my wish was granted when Kadota came over to the table.

"We're gonna head back to the resort now…” he said looking between us in confusion, not fully understanding how or why we were sitting together but not daring enough to ask. “You guys coming?" I'll have to remember that I owe him one.

When we left the coffee place, the sun was setting over the mountains, and by the time we got back to the Inn, it was already dark.

The rest of the night went by quickly. Shizuo and I didn't have another conversation, in fact, he went to sleep almost immediately upon arrival to the room. I on the other hand, lay awake, shivering in cold sheets.

I looked over at the other bed to see Shizuo's arm hanging off the mattress with his mouth parted slightly. He didn't really snore, but he breathed in an annoyingly relaxed and calm manner. Jealousy spiked within me as he looked  _ too _ peaceful in his sleep, almost like he wasn't a monster at all.

I rolled over away from him trying to settle in my own sheets, when I remembered the night before; how warm I had been in his arms. How safe I had felt, even though it was  _ him _ . How I had wanted him to stay.

I was so cold...

Taking my pillow with me, I crept across the room. For a moment I hesitated, knowing I would regret my decision, but I sat down anyway. He didn't budge. I cautiously slipped under the sheets not to stir him, moving as close as I could, but still maintaining a safe distance between us. I could feel the heat radiating from him centimeters away. Not only did my new source of warmth neutralize the chill off my body, but the sound of his steady breathing lulled me into a tranquil slumber...

* * *

 

_ Shizuo _

_ It was cold. _

_ For the first time, I wasn't back in a warm, dark room, heated by a body on top of my own. I couldn't feel the pressure of someone holding me down, nor could I smell the bittersweet scent that I had grown to be so acquainted with. Instead, the air was cold and burned my nose. I could feel large droplets of rain pelting my skin, chilling my body. _

_ I opened my eyes, looking up at the grey clouds that were sending tears down to the earth. I noticed I was standing on a street corner in a city. For some reason, I sensed a familiarity of the environment, only there were no lights or brightness of any kind. No passersby or cars racing down the streets, and not a single sound to be heard other than the rain pattering against asphalt and concrete. I was the only one there. The streets and buildings were bare and abandoned. I was surrounded by one big shadow that swallowed everything in sight. _

_ I didn't panic immediately, but it dawned on me that I was completely and fearfully alone. _

_ I don't know what willed me, but my body began walking down the sidewalk with one thing on my mind. It wasn't that I needed shelter from the rain that continued to cascade down, freezing me to the bone in my already drenched my clothes. I didn't feel the need to find somewhere warm to protect me from the weather either. For some unknown reason, the voice in my head kept telling me to look for a light. _

_ And so I did. I walked for what seemed like hours looking for a source of light, only going on because my conscious kept telling me to. _

_ The rain continued to beat down with all it's might, and by now it had turned into a full fledged thunderstorm. It didn't phase me though, I was on a mission that I intended to to go through with. _

_ I followed my gut feeling throughout the city, taking random twists and turns, trying to find any source of light. _

_ I took one last turn and I finally saw, diagonally from where I was standing, a single lamp post that was flickering on and off. _

_ My body relaxed a bit. _

_ It was hard to see through the downpour, but something came into view standing under the light. _

A person? Who would be out in this kind of weather?

_ Then I remembered I was currently out here too. _

_ I squinted to try to get a better look at the figure. They were wearing something like a fur trimmed jacket that looked oddly familiar. I couldn't quite put my finger on who I had seen wearing it before, or if I ever had. _

_ I could tell the figure was a male by his short black hair. He was slender and looked to be shorter than me. I crept over to the edge of the sidewalk getting a better view. A quick flash of lightning struck in the clouds above, and what I saw astounded me. _

_ It was Izaya, standing out in the cold rain. _

What's he doing?  _ I wondered. _

_ Thunder sounded from a distance and I looked back up at the sky _ .

"Shizu-chan..."

_ It was a faint whisper, but I was certain I heard it. _

"Shizu-chan..."

_ There it was again. _

_ I looked over at the man standing under the lamp, who was staring back at me with a worried look on his face. _

"I'm scared..."

_ And I knew why. _

_ I tried moving my legs forward, but they didn't budge. I was stuck on the other side of the road. _

"I'm scared, Shizu-chan..."

_ I kept trying to run over to the helpless body standing in fright of the storm, but my legs refused to let me. _

"I can't move...you have to walk to me,"  _ I instructed. _

_ Another crack of lightning hit and was quickly followed by a loud rumble of thunder. _

_ During this time I saw him mouth the words _ "I can't."

"Yes you can, just walk over to me,"  _ I instructed holding my arms out. _

_ He shook his head and inched back holding on to the street lamp. _

_ I motioned for him to come forward again.  _ "Everything is going to be okay, just please come over to me,"  _ I encouraged. _

_ He let go of the pole and started slowly walking toward the edge of the curb _ .

"That's right, Izaya, you can do it,"  _ I said, still holding my arms out to him. _

_ He stepped down onto the street and took a couple of steps before the lighting and thunder sounded again. _

_ He kneeled down and put his hands over his ears, shaking. _

"I know you're afraid, but I believe in you. Just keep going,"  _ I called out. _

_ He got back up again, and took a few steps more until he was on the yellow line that bisected the street when I noticed he started to glow. _

"Come on Izaya, just a few more-"

_ And then I heard it. The roaring engine of a car, lights on, quickly approaching where we were standing. _

"Wait! Izaya! Stop!"

_ But he didn't. He took another reluctant step towards me, ignoring my orders. _

"IZAYA! GO BACK! THERE'S A CAR!"

_ He was looking directly at me, but couldn't hear my screams as he took another step closer. _

"IZAYA!"

_ He didn't pause as the car was closing in the distance between us; it didn't look like it was about to stop. _

"IZAYA! NO! IZAYA!"

_ And the next thing I knew, the blinding headlights of the vehicle engulfed the man's body, and I heard the sound of bones crunching. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I had so much fun writing Shizuo's dream. It's one of my favourite scenes from the story thus far. Hopefully I will update more than once this week, so stay tuned!  
> Once again thank you for reading and your comments and kudos! If you have any ideas or suggestions you would like to see included in the story, feel free to leave your thoughts! Ja ne~


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this update is a little late; I'm trying to post at least once week, but I'm never sure what day I will have more of an opportunity to edit, so there is no specific day of the week that I will post regularly on. Maybe hopefully one day? I'll have a schedule? This chapter is also a little shorter than the ones before, because the next chapter is packed with events. So that one will probably be one of the longer ones. At least that's how things look right now.  
> Also, sorry again that Shizuo only has the spotlight for a little while at the end. He will definitely have more time to shine next time!  
> Enjoy!

_ Izaya _

"-zaya...Izaya...No!...Izaya!..."

My eyes flew open when I heard my name.

Timidly, I rolled over to the direction from which the calling had come, my eyes adjusting to the lack of light as I made out Shizuo’s figure. His head was shaking back and forth, his brows tightly knit in what looked like a form of mental anguish. Beads of sweat were rolling down his forehead, and before I had a chance to register the situation before me, I hurriedly jumped up, my heart racing as I grabbed both his wrists to stop the tremors.

"Shizuo! What's wrong?!" I called to him in panic.

"Izaya! No!" To no avail, he was still shaking violently and I was worried he would end up hurting himself, or more likely me if he didn’t wake immediately.

"Wake up! Come on," I shook him a little. "Wake  _ up _ !"

His eyes sprang open as he flung forward panting, hitting his head against mine, in turn making me fall back on to the bed. I surged a hand to the newly forming nodule or my forehead, rubbing it thoroughly to ease the rapidly intensifying pain. He looked around the room, panting in a worry, registering that he was no longer in the limbo of his nightmare. He turned to me, tightly grabbing hold of my shoulders, pulling me forward.

"Are you okay?!" he sounded even more apprehensive and out of breath.

"Well besides the growing protrusion on my forehead, I'm fine," I said, cupping the spot my head. "What about you?" I said it flatly enough to hide the concern that I denied had formed the minute he screamed my name. I told myself it was more out of curiosity than anything.

His expression softened a bit and he loosened his grip on me before they slacked back to his sides.

"I'll go get some ice," he said, which was the least expected answer I could have received. He hurried out of bed, turning the corner to leave the room at least remembering to grab a key.

"What?" I was entirely stunned of the events going on before me.

Was he still in some sort of trance? I mean I assumed he had sleeping issues, but this was definitely new...

He came back into view for a second looking at me, dead serious, "And DON'T fall asleep," he warned then left out the door.

I leaned up against the headboard obediently, my fingertips massaging my temples as my headache increased. The pain was too real to believe that  _ I  _ was the one dreaming, and ruled out that possibility first.

“What the  _ actual hell _ is going on?” I cursed, my voice and hands shaking.

When he returned a few minutes later, he was holding a plastic cup and took a seat down on the bed next to me. I saw it was full of little ice cubes and offered it to me as makeshift ice pack.

"Where did you get this?" I asked, but was not reluctant to accept it, wincing as I placed it in contact with my skin.

"There's an ice machine on this floor."

"Ah..." was all I could say in response as the throbbing started to slowly subside.

"Should I take you to the doctor? I'm sure they have one here..." he said reaching to look in the drawer of the night table for an information packet.

"No, it's fine, I don't have a concussion. You've hit me harder than this before..." I assured him with a deep sigh. He didn’t know that I was still trying to stop the feeling of my head spinning,.

He turned on one of the lights, not thinking twice about how the bright fluorescence would burn my retinas.

Taking my face in both hands, he pulled me forward until our faces were only a few centimeters apart. My breath hitched as I stared into caramel eyes that darked from the seriousness of his expression. He concentrated on one of my eyes, then the other.

I felt my cheeks grow hotter than necessary under his palms as I looked back, not backing down to break his gaze. However the closeness of our faces sat to be a little too intimate for me, and I had to look away.

"Really, I’m fine.” I could only hope that he wasn’t feeling how my heart stammered under his hold.

"...Okay," he said, hesitantly releasing my face.

I thought of anything that could possibly make the situation less awkward and sarcastically asked, "so what made you care this time? You've never had a problem injuring me before," I prompted.

He paused for a moment, not having thought that far ahead. His brows narrowed in response of the accusation, but decided to challenge me. "What made you sleep in my bed?"

Now that I hadn’t had a proper response with either, and settled on simply saying, "touché..."

We were silent for a few minutes, which was fine with me. The less I had to talk the better, as I sat with my head down, the cup still glued to my fresh bump.

"You can stay,” he said finally.

I looked up at him sideways under my bangs. "What?"

"Here. You can stay here."

And I realized what he was referring to. "Oh...thanks.”

There was another long silence.

"Are you sure you're-"

"Yes, Shizuo, I'm  _ fine _ ." I let out another agitated sigh. The last thing I needed tonight was the thought of the blonde nursing me back to health any further.

"No, you're not. You just called me by my name, so you're not fine."

I sat in thought for a second, not sure what to say, trying to remember the last time I had dropped the pet name when I was addressing him.

"Look, I'm tired okay, just let me go to sleep already." I shoved the cup of half-melted ice in his hand and rolled over on my side to face away from him.

He grumbled something to himself as he turned out the light so we could both sleep.Not for long though, he woke me up every other hour to make sure I hadn't lost consciousness or something. Just because he was used to being sleep deprived didn’t give him the right to drag me down with him. Needless to say I was not very happy when I was half awake as the sun was rising.

I was finally able to fall back to sleep for a few hours. Maybe the brute had finally got it through his thick skull that I wasn’t in need of his doctoring or any other kind of serious medical attention. When I woke up again, for like the fourth time that night, the sun was shining brightly through the open drapes of the window. I sat there staring up at the ceiling, feeling how the bags had formed under my eyes, cursing the man who was sleeping next to me. However when I looked over my shoulder, there was no one else sharing the bed. I sat up a little too quickly, and held my head to stop it from spinning, groaning at the whiplash of pain.

"Glad you're up," a voice that didn’t sound at all enthusiastic with the fact came around the corner of the room, holding a tray of food in his hands.

"What's this?" I asked, mimicking the same bored tone he had used.

He set the tray down on the bedside table. "It's your breakfast," he responded as if it should have been obvious..

I looked up at him. His facial expression remained normal. Well, still scowling, but what else was new.

"... _ Why? _ "

"What do you mean 'why'? Why what?"

"Everything. Why everything. What's going on?" I finally cracked the pent up frustration I had been holding in all night. There was a price to pay for not letting me have a healthy sleep cycle.

"It's just breakfast?" he gave me a look as if he were utterly offended.

My stomach growling broke the silence, choosing the absolute worse time to betray me.

"Ugh, nevermind," I gave up trying to communicate with him because I knew it would get me nowhere.

"Good, now eat," he said leaving me with the tray. He rounded the corner again and I heard the bathroom door shut and the shower turn on.

I looked at the food and it looked back at me. My stomach growled again in protest and I eventually gave up and set the tray on my lap. He had gotten me two fried eggs, some bacon, some of those little cooked potatoes, and a cup of black coffee.

_ Good, nothing sweet _ , was the only thing I be grateful for.

I ate everything in a matter of minutes, and by that time, the shower had stopped.

I went to set the tray back on the table and saw the plastic cup half full of water next to the lamp. It was an unwanted reminder of what had happened several hours ago. It all flashed through my mind again, starting with the echo of the panic lacing his voice as he thrashed restlessly in his sleep, ending with those dark, auric eyes staring too closely back at me. My body tensed at the sheer thought of it.

_ What goes on in that head of yours... _

Suddenly there were fingers snapping in front of my face. I blinked and looked at the person who the hand belonged to.

"Oi. Izaya? What the fuck?"

"I was thinking, why did you interrupt me?" I asked irritatedly.

"You've been sitting like that for five minutes. You didn't even notice when I sat down.

_ Oh. _

"You're not going anywhere today. You're staying in bed," he instructed me.

"You're not the boss of me, Shizu-chan,” I instantly argued with my eyes narrowing. “And no, I'm not going to just sit here all day.”

"Yes, you are. I'm forcing you," he commanded.

"What? And I suppose you're going to sit here and babysit me?" I scoffed in disbelief.

"If that's what it takes."

"You're doing nothing of the sort." Irritably I pulled the comforter off, not caring whether or not it hit him in the face. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go get ready to enjoy spending the day  _ outside _ .

"Fine...but if I see you starting to drag behind, I'm marching you right back up here," he said angrily.

Was this really the right demision I had woke up in? Since when was Shizuo  _ ever _ like this?

"Oh, Shizu-chan, how  _ motherly _ of you," I rolled my eyes and gave him a disgusted look.

Eventually when we made it outside, it was bright and sunny, and I was almost regretting my decision. Almost.

There was energy radiating from the busy mountainsides, as people enjoyed the nice weather. My usual triplet and I marched our way to the ski shop, gathering the things we needed for the day.

"It's crowded today, I hope the line to the ski lift isn't busy," Shinra noted with a smile, looking into the distance.

"If I had gotten more sleep I probably wouldn't have kept you all waiting," I said between clenched teeth, despite my fake smile, eyeing the blonde.

"Are you not sleeping well either, Izaya?" Shinra was walking next to me as he asked. Then he turned to me with the smug expression I hated seeing him wear. “Or does it go deeper than just that?”

How dare he.

"Oh, you don't even know the half of it..." I mumbled to myself.

Shizuo, on Shinra's other side glared at me, his signature grimace on his face. My eyes narrowed more, not letting my gaze back down.

"I uh, see there's a lot of tension here," the doctor in training said, raising up his hands as he fell behind a little, smiling all the while, completely aware that something was up.

"Oh there's no tension, Shinra, things are just _ fine _ . Today is just like any other  _ normal _ day. I’m just waiting for Shizu-chan to take a little trip down the mountain  _ without _ his skis. Maybe he’ll even split his head open on a tree." I sneered in the direction of the man himself.

"Tch, shut up flea," he finally broke the gaze and looked straight ahead. I could see under his gloves that his fists were balled tightly, shaking even, as he was restraining from punching me. I almost went on to reply with another sarcastic remark, when suddenly something changed about his expression.

His movements were too quick for me to substantiate what was happening. In a flash he projected himself before me. My eyes, by nature, protectively shut, and the puffy coat he was wearing softened the landing between my face and his chest. His arms wrapped securely around me, and my heart had skipped a beat.

_ Pafft. _

After about 10 seconds of this, I opened one eye expecting the world around me to have changed during some catastrophic event. Shizuo's arms were still holding me to his chest, and I hadn’t felt the ground shake or anything else exciting. I lifted my head slowly, cautiously. The bright light of the sun was still shining down on the glistening snow, which men, women and children were still enjoying themselves on. I pushed away from the blonde, and began looking around for something abnormal, but there was nothing. Everything looked the same as it did a minute ago, except for a completely shocked, mouth gaping open Shinra, and an equally dumbfounded Kadota.

I looked up at Shizuo again, searching for some sort of answer to the hundreds of questions running through my mind. To my not-so-surprise, he was looking just about as confused as the other two idiots. Finally my body was out of it's shocked state, and I shrugged completely away from the hold.

"What the hell was that?!" I demanded horrifically embarrassed.

Shizuo was still standing there, mouth parting as he was looking for the answer himself.

"I demand an answer, Shizu-chan! What the hell?" My patience was growing thin and the tips of my ears burned red.

"I...there was..." he said in an almost inaudible, soft voice, as though he were also questioning what the three of us were wondering.

"Spit it out, you protozoan!" I snapped out of sheer humiliation.

"There was...a snowball...it was going to hit you..." he said quietly, barely mouthing the words.

"A  _ what _ ?!" I tried grasping what the blonde had just said.

"Sorry, mister!"

The four of us turned around to see three young kids playing in the snow, each of them with small, compacted balls of snow in their hands. They too, looked stunned, having watched the scene unfold before them.

_ What the  _ fuck _ just happened? _

"That was...really weird," I heard Shinra's state dumbly behind me.

"Uh, yeah, not gonna lie, that made me feel really uncomfortable too," Kadota agreed.

I felt my entire body grow hot with both anger and embarrassment.

I didn't know which of the two emotions to deal with at the moment, my eyes looking around in panic. All sets of eyes were on me.

_ Say something you idiot! _ I didn’t know who my conscious was talking to.

"Well, uh...I-I would have to agree. I am feeling really violated right now," I mustered in my best casual voice for the moment.

Now all eyes were on Shizuo. He didn't do too well under pressure, so this was a good opportunity for me to totally collapse any self-esteem he might have had before.

"Well, Shizu-chan?" I said as if I really did expect him to say something.

Again, as I presumed, he said nothing and just had one of his many idiotic looks on his face.

_ Keep rolling with it, Izaya, use it to your advantage! _

I began to feel my insides sort of twitch. My stomach kept quivering, and my chest quickly followed. Exhaling short burst of breath through my nose, I felt myself smile and hum in kind of a choking way. But I wasn't in pain. No...I was in pure jubilation.

So I let myself go.

I let my hysterical fits escape, wide-mouthed and head back. I began to feel my sides strain themselves from all the laughter. I wrapped my arms around my stomach to make it stop, but they didn't. The pain only made it worse, not that I even cared.

I opened a teary eye, only to see more people staring at me in horror. Yes, now I was once again, the center of attention. This made me laugh harder, if at all possible. I fell onto my rear and continued to make a scene. When I thought I had myself under control, I looked over at Shizuo. He looked like more than an idiot that I did, in my opinion, so the fits started again. So much that I started coughing between my hysterics.

Then suddenly, I stopped. All was quiet again. The only sound to be heard was the micro-hertz of the snow falling from above. My usual smirk smeared across my lips once again.

"Well, well, well, Shizu-chan. This was all a plan for you to play the hero, ne? You set this all up to save your, 'damsel in distress~." I dramatically threw a hand over my forehead, just to add to the silliness of the chain of events.

My smirk then drew into a serious frown as I lifted my arm away from my face, settling it back down to the ground to brace myself as I rose to my feet. "Well of course you didn't. That would be idiotic of anyone to believe." I got up brushing the snow off me. "No barbarian like  _ you _ could ever act so humanely, after all," I scoffed in pure detestation.

I began walking in the direction of which we were originally heading. I turned around to stride backwards to see if the others were following their great leader-as I liked to view myself. They eventually submitted, the blonde last in line.

"Oh, and Shizu-chan," I called with my hands around my mouth. "The next time you want a hug, don’t even bother. I don’t want to lose any brain cells from physical contact with you." I smiled gleefully back towards him, but for some reason my heart ached.

* * *

 

_ Shizuo _

 

Confused. Humiliated. Furious. I didn't know which emotion to deal with first.

I walked, head down, trying to recall what had provoked me in the first place to do something so... _ irrational _ , as the flea would probably call it and taunt me about it further. I always acted impulsively, as much as I hated admitting it, I couldn’t deny the fact. It must have just been a natural reflex. But for  _ him _ ?  _ Really _ ? Why did it have to be  _ him _ ?!

Perhaps it was the dream, I thought. Seeing him like that; the  _ real _ Izaya. Because of that damn dream it left me feeling more...protective? It felt so wrong, impossible even, but it was a feeling I couldn't ignore. Yes, for some crazy fucking reason, I wanted that flea bastard to be safe. To my dismay I had grown some sort of sick attachment to him.

My cheeks were still burning by the time we caught up with the little insect and arrived at the lift. Surprisingly the line was shorter than expected.

"Shinra, sit with me. I want to have an intelligent conversation with someone," he said, standing with a hand on his hip as he flipped his dark bangs with specks of white out of his eyes.

"Uhh..." was all Shinra could say, sending Kadota and me an awkward, sideways glance.

My hands balled into fists, as I couldn’t bare to see Izaya act like such a brat, well, more than usual.

He was walking over to the lift, obviously not hearing the brunette walking behind him and turned around to speak once again.

"Come on, Shinra, use those legs of yo- _ Hey _ !"

I grabbed him by the hood of his jacket and started walking to the seat of the lift, my grip on his coat shaking all the while. Was I  _ really _ about to do this? I supposed it was too late to turn back now.

"Shizu-chan, what the-?!" he protested, reaching behind him as if to try to pry my hand away from the grasp, as I literally dragged him to the chair.

I didn't say anything as I threw him in the seat, pushing him to the opposite corner as I slid in and lowered the safety bar into a locking position.

"What’s about?! I demand an answer!" he exclaimed, more flustered than actually appalled by my actions.

I didn't say anything while we ascended; counting down in my head and observing the passing scenery were my best attempts at calming the trembling that ran down my spine like a live wire.

"You can be a real brute sometimes, you know," he pouted, crossing his arms to look away from me, out towards the open peaks of the mountains. "Why are you acting like more of an idiot than usual?"

I didn’t look at him when I finally gave in for a response. "Just shut up already," I said in a relatively calm voice, but there was still a bite to my tone.

“When you hit my head did you somehow knock me into a different dimension as well?” he sneered. “Seeing as how the Shizu-chan  _ I _ know would have been more than ecstatic to watch me endure getting shot, face-first, by a mere ball of snow…” There was a pause, and I could tell he was waiting to get a reaction out of me. “Really, are you mentally deficient? To do something so incredulous as to block the path of a  _ snowball _ thrown by a  _ child? _ ” he scoffed. “Seriously,  _ your _ kind of protozoan should have it’s own separate page in the dictionary; a nice blank page, easy enough for your monocellular brain to comprehend.

He really _ didn’t _ know when to keep that damn mouth of his shut _. _ This was probably the farthest I’ve gone without snapping, but I was on my final nerve.

" _ Why, _ Shizu-chan. Why did you-"

"I DON'T KNOW, OKAY?!" I turned and shouted so loudly in his face, the people in front of us, 20 meters ahead, turned around to stare.

Still pouting, he backed off for a few minutes to think...I hated when he thought.

"I'm just...surprised,” he offered in a 180 tone, softer and gentle this time. His new tactic of approach made me relax only a little. “I don't know why you've been so...grossly concerned about me lately." It was more of a half-hearted insult now, the venom of his tone had finally eased away.

I sighed and tilted my head back against the chair behind me. "Look, it's not that I want to,” I was trying to chooses my words carefully, “I'm just-"

Suddenly we jarred forward as the ski lift stopped about a quarter away from the end.

"Shit."

"Oh, well this is just perfect," the man next to me huffed sarcastically.

"Fuck. How long will we be up here?"

"My sources tell me all day, sadly." He gave me a look that clearly said 'do you really think I know the answer to that, dumb Shizu-chan'. Alas he sighed, "but that's beside the point," he changed his expression. "Why the sudden act of random kindness? It’s disturbing the hell out of me."

Even I could tell he was trying to cover up some mysterious, underlying thoughts he didn’t feel quite comfortable with addressing. It was easier for him to be rude when he was obviously uncomfortable, but for different reasons than he led on.

I sighed again for the umpteinth time that day. "I'm just paranoid, I guess," I said honestly, to my dismay.

"And why on earth is that?"

I didn't really want to tell him about the dream I had, but at this point, I was sure it would be the only way to shut him up.

"I had this dream...last night..." I hesitated.

" _ Ooh~ _ is Shizu-chan  _ finally _ going to tell me about his long awaited wet dreams?" he taunted on a lighter note than before.

"They're  _ not _ those kinds of dreams!" I growled in  defense, but his smirk only widened as an eyebrow shot up in disbelief. "Something happened to you. Something bad."

"Such as?"

"...you..."

"I...?"

"You were..."

"Yes? I was what?"

"You were hit by a car." I said without hesitation.

An unreadable expression showed on his face for a moment before it  quickly softened as he gave me a more thoughtful look. "Well you don't have to worry about that up here, Shizu-chan, there  _ are  _ no cars."

"I know, but still. It really gave me a bad feeling for some reason and I can’t get my mind off it. You were so scared..."

"Scared of what?"

I gave in and explained the dream to him in full detail; the city, the storm, how he cried out for me, everything. He listened carefully the whole time, and at the end of my story, we sat unspeaking for a while.

"Well..." he began, but for the first time he didn't know what to say.

"I know it's really,  _ really _ weird, for both of us, but something just came over me." I said guiltily, feeling my face warm at the topic.

"I see..." he thought some more. "I guess I should thank you then?"

This took me by surprise. "What?! N-no, that's even weirder."

"I'm aware, but I feel as though I should, as much as it hurts my ego. For what you did the other night during the storm, and what you did for me last night and today...Thanks," he said quietly.

"You're welcome, I guess..."

We hadn’t realized the lift had begun moving again until we were at the end.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you all liked it! And thank you very much for all the encouraging comments and reviews! They mean a ton <3


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Hump Day!  
> Here is this week's update. I was planning on it being a little longer, but I found a stopping point earlier than expected. To make up for it though, this chapter is all in Shizuo's POV, since he didn't get much of a spotlight last time!  
> Enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

 

The day had been a long and tiring one. Aside from the snowball incident, it wasn’t anymore eventful. The habitual mocking from the flea still had me feeling extremely awkward, but I could sense he felt a little off himself-or at least more than he usually was-and kept more than a little distance, if for the sake of our other friends noticing something was up.

As the sun began to set, we went back inside the resort. The warm air welcomed us, and the ever-relaxing scent of candles burning, made me realize just how tired I really was from the long day outside.

We headed for the rooms, and when everyone had showered and changing into regular clothes, the four of us, as well as Togusa and Walker, went to one of our favourite restaurants in the hotel for dinner. I had stayed mostly silent the whole time, more or less focusing on staying awake and not faceplanting into my steak.

To my dismay, sleep was further procrastinated. Instead of going straight back to our rooms, we decided to wander aimlessly around the inside of the resort. The group of guys talked among ourselves-well except me-as we journeyed through the halls and various other rooms, exploring as much as we could, of the facility. I walked and listened to the chatter, only rarely putting in a few words of opinion when asked, but I didn't mind. Sleepy or not, I was more of a listener anyway. Something felt missing, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what, exactly. It seemed, despite all the talking, more quiet than usual in our little gang.

Eventually, after we had almost circled around the entire expanse of the first floor, we settled down in the foyer where sofas surrounded the huge, lit, fireplace that had grabbed everyone’s attention upon the day of our arrival, when we first stepped inside the lobby. Everyone was still talking randomly, topics fluctuating from movie stars, to anime and manga, to what blend of coffee was better, and why cancer had anything to do with skiing, and so on. My mind and eyes began to wander, as they usually did when I wasn't being spoken to directly-nor was it mandatory for me to respond-and forgot to pay attention to the conversation. I don't know what brought me to it, but one more, I found myself watching Izaya as a new contingent subject had drifted into conversation.

I studied his facial features and expressions as he talked among his friends. When he wasn't smirking, his eyes softened, crinkling in the corners as he wore a smile that could be mistaken for almost genuine, if you didn’t truly know him. They were warmer, mahogany and inviting, than what I was used to; cold, dark and distant. Nonetheless, there was an brilliant fire burning within them, full of character and intellect that could only be identified unique to him alone.

I managed to set aside my original feelings towards him, if for only a moment, as I concentrated on his movements in the dim-lit lounge. His flawless skin dazzled from the illumination of the light of the fireplace that bounced around the room. His pale, slender hands made gestures as he spoke about what to others would seem like nothingness. However, with him, there was always a purpose that came with what he said. He was a very theatrical person when he talked, his manner of speaking captured his audience, and he knew exactly how to keep people entertained.

In school, it wasn’t a surprise to see him hanging around the drama department. He was actually very active when school plays rolled around each season. He skipped his classes regularly, I knew, but never seemed to miss a day of theater. I supposed it was probably one of the only things that didn't "bore" him, that is, when he wasn’t causing his own mischief at Rajin. He loved being the center of attention, and he was a good enough actor to get the lead roles in every one of the school plays if he felt like it. He was a completely extroverted person.

This made us opposites in every way. I couldn't stand having any kind of attention directed at me, but he  _ thrived _ on it. This was another reason of the many I was sure he targeted me for; for his personal entertainment, of course. I never knew how to put my thoughts into words, I usually put them into all the wrong kinds of actions by accident instead. He on the other hand, always knew exactly what to say, and always sounded highly sophisticated and intelligent when he did it.

Yes, I was nothing like Orihara Izaya. Never have been, and never will be. Our personalities clash in every way possible, that was why it was so hard to breathe the same air as him. Yet recently, I hadn't minded it. For some reason he had, in his own sickening kind of way, grown on me. I had somehow formed a mental bond with him against my will; a bond that I hadn't felt with him, or anyone else before.

_ Well, anyone except Kasuka, maybe, but it was slightly different than with the flea. _

Seeing him in a way no one else had, made me realize he wasn't everything I had once thought he was, and I felt stupid for not opening my eyes sooner. I was never afraid of him before, by any means, but being around him like this had changed my view of him ever so slightly.

I stared at him as the conversation had now shifted to someone else. His garnet eyes wandered over to lock our gazes. He had caught me admiring him and now I was too afraid to even blink. He smirked, cocking an eyebrow, and I felt my face warm, but I told myself it was heat radiating from the fireplace.

Lowering his half-lidded eyes to my feet, ever so slowly, then creeping back up the length of my body to my now scorching face, his gaze alone was taunting enough for me to stiffen reflexively. I knew how much he loved to torment me when I was in situations like these, but I held my breath hoping he wouldn't push it further. Of course he did, biting his lip as he checked me out once again. I felt my face flush bright red as I looked away from him, but at a sideways glance, I saw him snicker quietly to himself in the corner of my eye.

With that, I got up and excused myself from the group to go for a smoke. When I stepped out of the automatic front doors, a cool gust of wind had picked up, ruffling my hair and shooting straight through the thin material of my lightweight jacket. I stood there, shielding the end of my cigarette as I lit it. I took a deep breath in, feeling the smoke warm the inside of my lungs. Exhaling, I watched the cloud of smoke disperse into the clean air. Thankfully tonight wasn’t nearly as frigid as the previous one. It was tolerable, but breezy. My cheeks were no longer feeling the heat of embarrassment, but were burning from the crisp winter air. As much as I had hated my newly acquired bad habit, it was one of the few things that helped clear my head from things like a certain bothersome insect who knew exactly how to push my buttons.

I started recollecting memories of the day and my lack of self-obedience as far as my impulsive behavior goes. I couldn’t say that I necessarily regretted any of the nurturing actions I've shown towards the flea within the past 24 hours, but it sure did make me feel strange. I do care about my friends-even though Izaya and I usually weren't on good terms-but as I said earlier, the only  _ real _ person I've felt so protective of is my younger brother. Perhaps being so far away from him has gone to my head, and now I was feeling the need to ensure someone else's safety.

I was so lost in thought, I hadn't realized my cigarette had burned entirely to ash. I pressed it into the ashtray I was standing by and turned to head back inside, but I stopped when I saw a familiar face heading my way.

"Good evening, Heiwajima-senpai." The short blonde girl came to a halt a couple meters away from me. Her platinum hair was blowing in the wind, her unusual violet eyes emotionless as she spoke.

"Oh. Hey, Varona...You know you can just call me Shizuo, right?"

"Very well, Shizuo-senpai," she said in a monotone voice.

"What’s up?" I said trying to start a normal conversation.

"I saw you were alone. I thought to myself, you needed company," he voice hadn't changed pitch at all.

My heart seemed to flutter in embarrassment at her bluntness. "Oh, well, thanks, I guess, I shrugged, rubbing the back of my neck. “I was just about to head inside though...You should too, aren’t you cold?" I noticed she wasn't wearing a jacket over her long sleeve shirt. I began to take off my jacket to give to her, but she held up a hand.

"It is no problem. The weather is similar to my home country," she said unphased by the freezing temperature.

"I guess it is pretty cold in Russia, huh?" Despite her decline, shrugged the jacket off. She stared at it for a moment as I held it out to her, but accepted it hesitantly, wrapping it around her shoulders.

“I express gratitude for your act of chivalry, however, problematic. You are without protection from below freezing temperature. Surely your native Japanese ancestry is not accustom to such weather.”

“Ah, don’t worry about me. I’ve got pretty thick skin.” I shrugged again. “‘Sides, it wouldn’t be cool to let you sit and freeze out here.”

“Confusion. Skin is two to three millimeters thick on average. How is senpai’s different from other humans?” For the first time, her eyebrows narrowed in question, and I wondered if they had sayings like that from where she was from.

I chuckled, “nah, it’s just an expression. I guess I just don’t get as cold as some people do.”

“Abnormality in nervous system?”

“Somethin’ like that.” I couldn’t help but smile at the innocence of her question. “Either way we should probably both head inside.”

“Indoor temperature is ideal.”

We walked back inside, side by side, and I would look down every couple seconds to see my jacket draped around her shoulders. I felt a sense of pride swell in my chest that the girl next to me had not only approached me on multiple occasions, but had been thoughtful when doing so. I never expected anyone to sit outside with me in the cold while I smoked, but there was a unique charm that came with the blonde girl when she kept me company. I smiled inwardly when we were inside the lobby, my friends were still occupying the same spot by the fireplace. It looked as though they were getting ready to leave.

Izaya glanced over at me but just as his usual smug look carried it’s way over in my direction, a small frown formed on his lips. For a moment I was confused, wondering what had possibly set him off and what I would have to deal with when we went back to our room.

Something tapped my shoulder and I looked down to see Varona was returning my jacket.

“Senpai will need this. Appreciation of gratitude in the future is necessary.”

"Heiwajima," a familiar, but not expected male voice called my name making me stop in my tracks.

Varona and I looked over to see our teacher approaching us.

_ Shit... _

"I hope you're aware that your curfew is still ongoing?" he said stopping before us. Varona looked up at me from the side, confused.

_ Why? Why now? _

"Oh, uh, yeah, I know.” It felt like I was being punished yet again, for having this talk with me in front of a girl I had only recently acquainted.

"Well, then, I hope you realize it's 8:58."

I checked my watch, and sure enough I had exactly a minute and 36 seconds to be back in my room.

"I was just heading back, actually..." I murmured.

"Excellent," he gave me a fake smile, knowing that he was doing this on purpose. "Then goodnight to the both of you," he said, acknowledging the girl next to me as he left.

"I'll uh...explain later," I said awkwardly, looking at her.

"It is no problem. Explanation not necessary if not desired option," she said without any further questions.

"I'll er...be going now then...g'night," I said hesitantly as I stepped away.

She simply nodded in agreement as I turned on my heel.

I met up with the group, telling them I would be back in my room before our teacher scolded me again. Izaya followed surprisingly complied, following behind me behind after saying farewell to our friends who all remotely aware the little incident that got us this curfew in the first place. That is, without the small detail that I had flashed the whole lobby...

"So, Shizu-chan~," the raven cooed as soon as the elevator began to go up.

"What d'ya want?" I asked flatly, not at all in the mood for whatever game he wanted to play.

He took a step closer giving me his signature wicked grin. I slumped back into one of the elevator's corners and crossed my arms over my chest.

"I thought it was very manly of you today, to be so protective over me~." In the side of my vision, I watched him take another step closer, sliding himself against the back of the elevator wall, now invading my personal space.

“Che. I’m sure that was the last thing you were thinking, louse." I sulked further into my corner as he approached me, slinking his way like the sly snake he was.

"Usually you act like an animal..." I flinched when the tips of his fingers brushed up the sleeve of my jacket. "Needless to say, I was very surprised to see you act so chivalrous,” he teased.

I turned to glare at him, but he was leaning in closer than what I had anticipated and I felt my throat tighten at the proximity. Our faces were mere centimeters apart, due to my slouching posture, we were almost eye level. The paranoia of people on the ground floor watching through the clear glass of the elevator walls peaked, and I felt my heart begin to beat rapidly in my ears. I wanted to look down through the window; down several floors to the lobby where people were watching, looking up at us and laughing, I was sure of it. However, that mental image was enough for me to break into a cold sweat as we continued to ascend to the twelfth floor, all the while I held an unblinking gaze matched with his bright, crimson one. 

“-but that's just who you are, ne, Shizu-chan?" he tiptoed his fingers up my arm to my shoulder. My heart started beating faster as he did so. "You're just _one,_ _big, unpredictable, surprise_ ~," he purred seductively into my ear as he leaned in; the heat of his breath against the shell of my ear had me stiffening on the spot.

Just like that, the elevator had come to a halt with a ‘ding’, and the doors opened to show a familiar face. Erika was standing at the entrance with her mouth wide open, dropping the convenience store bag in her hand, spilling it’s contents.

I quickly pushed Izaya off and pressed the ‘close door’ button as fast as I could, shutting the stunned girl out, we began to move once again.

"Dammit, flea!" I grabbed him by the collar of his knitted black shirt, and he simply chuckled when I shook him singlehandedly. "You're a little prick, ya know that?" I growled, but I knew it would get me nowhere to give into his antics so easily. I dropped him on the floor just as the elevator stopped again, and stepped out, leaving the flea to help himself up.

I walked down the hall to our room, aggressively inserting the key to unlock the door. I opened it exclusively for myself, expecting it to slam behind me.

Only...it didn't quite slam as I had predicted. In it’s place was a loud  _ thud _ and yelp. I quickly turned around unthinking, as I opened the door to see the flea sprawled on his side, laying unconscious.

"Shit!" I knelt down on the ground next to him, taking his upper body in my arms. "Flea, don't play games with me," I shook his limp body, and fear dawned on me that I might have taken things too far yet again. "Wake up!" I leaned down to listen to his chest. His breathing was faint and shaky, but he was breathing nonetheless. I looked up at the large red mark across his forehead. I guess it hit the same spot as the night before.

_ Well this is just great, the stupid flea’s blacked out. _

I let out an irritated sigh, looking around for some kind of answer to my new problem.

_ He's definitely going to need some medical attention now... _

I thought about taking him to the resort's infirmary, but then remembered the previous conversation when our teacher had stopped me down in the lobby. If we got caught outside of our room again we would probably be in a lot of trouble, not to mention if flea is lights out like this.

I reached a hand into my pants pocket and grabbed my bulky, orange phone. Without looking, I pressed the send button to the most dialed number on the device.

"Hello?" As expected, a cheerful voice chirped in my ear.

"Shinra, I need you to come to our floor right now."

"What fo-"

"It's...Izaya," I cut him off.

There was a pause on the other line, and I heard the brunette let go a suppressed sigh. "I'm on my way up."

Not even five minutes had passed before Shinra was running down the hall.

"What the hell did you do?!" he scolded, kneeling down along side with me.

"He ran into the door..."

"Let me guess, and by that you mean slammed it in his face?" he said knowingly, as if it were written on my face. "Bring him into my room, I have my medical supplies with me."

I picked the weightless flea up into my arms and carried him through the door Shinra was holding for us.

"Set him down on my bed, it's the one on the left," he directed, as he entered the bathroom.

I set the body down gently and rested his head on the pillow, fluffing it some, so it was comfortable under his neck.

"Dammit, flea," I cursed under my breath.

Shinra entered the room again with a large black bag in his arms. He set it down at the foot of the bed and began to rummage through it.

"First things first, we need to get that swelling down." He picked up a hand size blue bag and bent it in half with a popping sound. "Put this ice pack on the bump," he said handing it to me without looking up. I took it obediently and placed the slowly cooling bag on his forehead.

"Move," Shinra pushed me aside and held his stethoscope on the raven's chest. I was taken back at first by his curtness, but then realized that I wouldn’t be much of any help anymore, so I walked towards the couch on the other side of the luxurious room. I watched Shinra perform a basic checkup routine as he looked into Izaya's eyes, checked his reflexes, and took his pulse and blood pressure. Once he was finished, he came over and assured me the flea was going to be okay.

"He'll be fine, he doesn't have a concussion...although, that bump looks bigger than someone who just ‘ran into a door’. If I recall, I noted he had a little swelling there earlier today." He eyed me expectantly.

"Okay, so I accidentally head-butted him last night...but it was a total accident, I swear!" I confessed, helpless at this point.

"Calm down, Shizuo," he chuckled. "It was an accident, it happens...I don’t know  _ how _ exactly it was an accident, but I’m not going to ask. The only reason he passed out was probably because of the already made trauma. It was just sensitive. He'll wake up in a little while with a headache, but I have some pain killers."

"That's good, I guess..." I let out a sigh of relief I didn’t realize I had been holding.

"Is there...something else the matter?" his voice lowered, more serious now, as if Izaya could hear us.

"N-no, I just...didn't know what else to do. Sorry I called," I said irritably, trying to cover up my guilt.

"No, you did the right thing, but now if you'll excuse me, I'm going back out.” He was putting his sweater back out when he turned to me. “He'll need someone here when he wakes up. Call again if you need anything," he called as he headed out of the room. "His medicine is on the nightstand, make sure he only takes one, they're pretty powerful." With the soft click of the door shutting behind him, I was left with the unsettling thought of being in a foreign room with nothing but an unconscious flea.

I exhaled long and hard as I stood up from the couch. I walked over to the small circular table sitting in the kitchenette, picking up one of the chairs, and taking it with me to the bedside. I sat down and looked at the man lying motionlessly, give for the slow rise and fall of his chest. "Stupid louse..." I leaned my head back against the chair and closed my eyes.

_ Guess there's nothing more to do then wait and sleep. _

It didn’t take me long to give into the tiredness that had numbed me from another restless night before.

_ When I came to, I was back in the cozy, candle lit room I had grown so familiar with over the past week or so. This time I wasn't completely immobilized, and my senses were working as they normally. I sat up in the king size bed I always woke up in and looked around for the fellow 'roommate' who always seemed to accompany me on nights like this. However, for the first time, there was noone to be found. _

_ I swung my legs over the side of the mattress and let my feet touch the cool, wooden floor I had never once set foot on. Pushing myself up, I walked across the room and out the door to a dark blue hallway, lit only by the moon that shone through the pane of windows. It was very different than the room I had just left. Where shadows of small flames had once danced on walls, here were cool tones of blue and small trails of tears sliding down the glass to the outside, where there was a consistent rain cascading from the nocturnal heavens. _

_ Ignoring the weather, I walked down the hall that led to an empty kitchen. Despite the darkness, It I still considered it to be very homey and quaint. A small round table covered in a red and yellow checkered tablecloth sat in the middle of the room. The appliances were all an old shade of olive green; counter tops were a light yellow, and cabinets were stained a chesnut brown. At the end of the counter was a small, old fashioned TV, the kind that still had an antenna. It was so simple, yet pleasant. _

_ I followed the open door in the corner of the room which led to a living room. It too, was very small and simple looking. It had the same olive green coloured couch and chair, that faced another larger, vintage TV. There were bookshelves along the walls made of a cherry coloured wood that matched the coffee table. On one of the walls was a closed door. I stepped across the room, needing to hunch a little due to the low ceilings, and held my ear to the door. I didn't hear anything on the other side, but I tapped it gently a few times just to make sure that I wasn’t going to suddenly invade someone’s privacy… _

_ No answer. I slowly turned the gold knob until it clicked open and pushed it forward, squeaking, as I peered inside. It was a small office. A desk sat in the middle of the tiny room and two full bookshelves were against the wall behind it. In the middle was a large window that took up the other third of the wall, and sitting on the windowsill was the figure I had been searching for wearing his grey pullover. _

_ I entered the room and closed the door quietly behind me. He didn't look up. Instead, he continued to watch the rain pelt the glass. _

_ Perhaps he hadn’t heard me? _

_ I walked over to where the raven sat, but he didn't budge. Slowly, I took the open seat on the other side of the sill and watched him as he gazed expressionlessly outside. I cleared my throat, hesitant to speak. _

"Ar-are you alright?"

_ He simply blinked and turned to look at me, then look back out the window. _

"I couldn't make it to you..." his voice sounded distant, as if he were simply talking to himself instead.

_ Suddenly, his eyes began to water and a small tear trailed down his right cheek. I instantly remembered my dream from the previous night. _

"I thought I had lost you...but you're here now, and that's all that matters."  _ I moved closer and awkwardly put a hand on his knee to reassure him. _ "It's okay now, don't cry,” _ I said in one of the most gentle tones I had heard myself use before. With my free hand, I leaned over to wipe another droplet that rolled down the side of his face. Despite his silent crying, he looked up at me with a smile. _

"It's cute how you care so much, Shizu-chan."

_ Something about the way he said it made me smile in return. _

_ " _ Yeah, well someone's gotta look out for your sorry ass."

"These dreams are based off of our true feelings, you know,"  _ he said drying his eyes with his sleeve. _

_ I paused to take in what he just said.  _ "You mean Izaya actually...likes me?"

_ He lightly chuckled before spoke again, _ “he more than  _ likes _ you, Shizu-chan, and you’re totally aware of it, despite how much denial you’re in.”  _ He looked at me thoughtfully as if I weren’t in on an big, obvious secret. _ “You know how hard he tries to conceal his emotions, ne? Not that you’re any better...But you know, deep down, you both feel like you can actually connect with someone when you’re together, even if you  _ do _ disagree most of the time."

_ It was hard to believe...but giving him the benefit of the doubt, when I thought about it, I did feel like there was something between us; even if it was pure hatred, at least it was mutual… _

_ Only, it wasn't hatred, at least not anymore. It was something else. Something new that I had never experienced with anyone else before. I couldn't put into words what it was. _

"So the flea actually cares for me, huh?"  _ I snorted. If this figment of my imagination was just trying to relay a message that was supposed to be obvious, I couldn’t help but ask. _ "Does that mean he wants me for sex too?"  _ I inquired sarcastically. _

_ He laughed again, too. _ " _ That _ I couldn't tell you. This is  _ your _ subconscious after all. That might be what  _ you _ desire."

“M-my  _ what?! _ ”  _ My eyes widened and I felt a blush creep across my face. Never had I  _ once _ thought about _ that  _ with _ him _ on  _ purpose! "I doubt it...I’d never..." I trailed off, meeting his all-too-knowing expression.

"Don't knock it 'til you try it~," _ he teased with a wink. _

"Ew,"  _ I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to block the mental image. Of course I only felt my already red cheeks flush more at the thought. _

"Anyway, you should wake up now, I’m sure he'll be waking up soon too, if he isn't already."

"Uh...How do I do that? I haven't exactly left a dream about you, without..."

"Oh.” He blinked in surprise. “I see...Well in that case,"  _ he placed a hand under my chin and tilted my head up and leaned forward. His lips gently pressed against mine and I let my eyes close as I allowed myself to kiss him back. My heart started to beat faster and faster, and everything started turning fuzzy and distant in my mind. I began to lose my sense of the dream world, and slowly began to wake up... _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you might be wondering why I've thrown Varona in here, of all people. WELL, without giving away too much, I needed to add her for plot purposes (andiloveher), but don't worry-even though things might feel like there is some chemistry between her and Shizuo, this is 100% a Shizaya fic. All the detail included for minor characters (there will be more in the future) are STRICTLY to add some spice to what I've been cooking up for those two ;)  
> Thanks again for reading and all your positive feedback <3  
> Maaaaaybe there will be another update this weekend?.....maybe.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 chapters this week!! It's not incredibly long, but definitely satisfying.  
> This one is in Izaya's POV since the last one was in Shizuo's...I'm not sure if I'm going to alternate point's of view every chapter yet. It usually depends on the word count. I aim for between 5k or 6k words per chapter. (This one is only a little over 4k, gomen). What are your thoughts? Do you think it's easier to follow that way? I'm still experimenting with some things, but if you guys have a preference let me know ^-^.  
> If you have followed me on ff, you know that the original is much more different and less detailed as far as the mood of the chapter goes, so I hope you like the new and improved version~  
> Also, I expect for the next chapter to be longer, and it will also be in Izaya's POV for reasons. You'll see...  
> Without further ado, enjoy the update!

_ Izaya _

 

Slowly, I began to feel myself drifting out of a twilight dream-state, entering into a new subsequence of a fullforce migraine. My skull was pounding even before I had a chance to open my eyes; to what I was sure were the glaring lights that awaited me. Not only that, but I had an inescapable brainfreeze.

Out of my grainy subconscious, I clumsily drew a hand to my face to brush away whatever nuisance was giving me frostbite, however the immediate flare of pain that came with it, was enough to bring me completely awake.

“Ugh.”

I tossed the ice pack as far away as I could manage from my laying position, cupping my forehead to help warm the numbing sensation. To my further solace, the natural heat radiating from my palm felt like I had just splayed my hand on a lit stove, even at the slightest of touches. I groaned defeatedly, and let my hand fall back to my side, grumbling curses under my breath.

My bleary eyes opened to find the ceiling fan oscillating above where I had been resting for who knew how long. It's quick cycling was enough to trigger another convulsion of dizziness, and my eyes squeezed shut before my head had the chance to spin off completely. I decided that keeping my eyes shut would be my best option if I wanted to figure out just how I got into this situation. The last thing I could coherently remember was being surrounded by a group of people. Loud people.

The thought of excessive noise made me cringe, but I pushed past it in order to conquer my delima.

As I tried to recollect the events that must have led me to this circumstance, I recalled the elevator scene; Erika’s face flashed through my memory, and I remember nearly running into her on the way up to the twelfth floor. Shizuo was with me no doubt...In fact, I was beginning to retain clearly, just how obnoxiously the blonde had stormed out of the elevator down the hall and inconsiderately slamming the door in my-

_ Ah ha… _

So that’s how it happened. That would explain the tight knot screaming agony across my face. No doubt his pea-sized brain left me with nothing but that stupid block of ice on my forehead too.

“Stupid Shizu-chan…” I muttered flatly to no one other than myself.

In that moment, I felt a shift by my side and I tensed. My eyes trailed cautiously down the white comforter to where the exact mop of blonde himself sat resting, head down on the bedside.

_ Of course he was there. _

I let out an irritable sigh, knowing my situation could not  _ possibly _ get any worse.

Though, as if on cue, a tired eye that wasn't being completely covered by the mess of golden locks, fluttered open. I looked down at him in distaste, reaching my limit of annoyance by his presence.

"Good morning, sunshine,” I sneered irritably, nudging the thickness of his skull with my extended knee.

"Ugh," he snarled, rolling his head back over to sleep as soon as he met my gaze.

"So," I began curtly, to initiate an inevitable conversation, despite his poor attempts at relinquishing out of it.

He sighed loudly with his head buried in his arms, and I heard a muffled, unenthused, "what?"

"What do you saaaaay?" I elongated the vowel like an impatient parent, for the apology of some bratty kid who had just thrown the world's biggest temper tantrum in the supermarket.

He sat up with a genuinely confused and exhausted look on his face. Clearly he was not up to date on common courtesy when someone slams their door into someone else's face.

"Well? Aren't you going to apologize for your actions?" I scolded, as if I were talking to a child.

Oh wait, I was.

He let out an exaggerated sigh. "I'm sorry. There, happy?"

"Not really, but it’s a start," I said, heaving myself into a somewhat upright position, wincing as blood started to distribute itself from my head to my limbs. "Now I'm assuming you called Shinra, correct? Where is my medicine?" I demanded, knowing that reprimanding him anymore would go nowhere.

I had come to the conclusion that I must be in Shinra's room, given that the blonde would be too afraid of being questioned by outside authorities.

He handed me the pill bottle that had been sitting on the nightstand, where the clock next to it read a little past eleven pm.

"I'll get you some water," he said lifting himself from the chair, voice still gravelly from sleep.

He returned from the bathroom shortly, with a small plastic cup in his hand. I got an unsettling feeling of Déjà vu as I was reminded of the similar scenario from the night before.

_ He's caring again... _ I thought, just as perturbed as I was 24 hours ago.

"Here." He was a little less chivalrous when he shoved the cup to my face.

I glared at him as I took the water from his hand and popped the pill in my mouth to wash down it's chalky flavor.

"Do I need to carry you next door," he asked flatly, and I nearly spat the water right back out.

"I hit my  _ head _ , Shizu-chan, not lost my legs," I choked out raspily.

I set the cup down and swung said intact legs over the side of the bed, careful about my first step. The last thing I needed was for the idiot to catch me if I fell again.

"You can stay here if you want," I said nonchalantly, "it isn't necessary for you to attend to me anymore. You've done quite enough already." I waved him away, picking up my pill bottle and the ice pack I had thrown, slowly making my way towards the door. I let it swing behind me, hoping it would give the blonde a taste of his own medicine, but I remembered that it’d probably just split in half if it hit him.

"I don't trust you to be alone," I heard him say behind me.

I stopped in the middle of the hallway to turn and give him the only look I was capable of expressing at the moment; complete and utter loathing. He however, stood his ground. Poorly, at that.

“Someone's gotta look out for your sorry ass." He offered, and blinked in surprise, as if he were only just processing his words for the first time.

I rolled my eyes and continued to let myself in our room.  _ As if you ever think about what comes out of that mouth of yours... _

Immediately, I laid down on my bed and placed the still cold pack over my tired eyes again. On the bright side, I had regained some feeling back in my face, only, it was more pain brought by more throbbing of the swollen nodule. At the very least, I could feel the pain killers starting to quickly take effect.

"Fine. If you stay here, make yourself useful and turn off the lights, then." I instructed, waving to the general direction of the switch with my eyes still closed.

He did so...But not even a full minute had passed and I felt him sit on the bed next to me.

"Can I ask you something?"

Irritably, I uncovered one of my eyes and looked at him with a deadpan expression. "What?" I asked exaggeratedly, not at all wanting to engage in another round of pointless conversation.

He ignored my vexation, however, and continued with his question. "Do you ever have like...weird dreams?" he whispered hesitantly, as if he were still noncommittal to wanting to share the inquisition.

I really hadn't expected him to ask such a thing. He really did pick the worst times to be more intriguing. I let the fire of irritation simmer before I answered him, picking my words carefully.

"I don't usually have dreams, Shizu-chan. Why do you ask?" I stated as plainly as possible to not let my enticement show.

There was a pause before he spoke. "Nevermind," he said hurriedly as he was getting up.

"Then why do you keep bringing it up," I droned, but more of a statement than a real question I expected an answer to, but I found myself wanting him to continue.

"I was just..." He took a second to think about his word choice. "I was hoping I had someone I could relate to," he confessed more softly, as he got into bed.

Perplexed at his honesty, I responded with less malice than I originally intended. "I see...I'm not exactly the most  _ simila _ r person to you, thankfully."

He made a quiet sort of hum in satisfaction, despite my dejection.

"Actually, I think we're more alike than you think."

I held my ice pack in place as I sat up to look over at his bed in the dark room, more intrigued now by his sudden confidence. "How so?"

He propped himself up on his elbow to mimic my same position. "We've both always felt the same way about each other. That's one thing."

"And what exactly  _ is _ this mutual feeling you speak of?” I played along sarcastically.

He paused again, looking down at the floor as he thought. "I was hoping you'd tell me."

"Well it's obvious, isn't it? I hate you and you hate me," I responded, second naturally as if someone had asked me if the sky was blue.

"Do you really?" he asked in a more firm, serious tone.

I wanted to say ‘yes’ immediately, but bit my tongue. Something  _ had _ suspiciously seemed off when I said it...

"Or are you still trying to convince yourself that?" His tone wasn’t mocking, no, more knowing if anything, as if he had expected me to answer that way all along.

It was true, I did admit that I didn't feel such strong hatred toward him  _ at _ the very moment...

Then what?

"Because I don't think I hate you...Not anymore."

I had to catch my breath.  _ Was he really saying that? _ After these past four, long years in high school together, believing he despised me when he was throwing things like street signs and convenience store trash cans at me; screaming my name at the top of his lungs, calling out my demise...Only to then make us roommates for a little over a week and  _ this  _ happens?!

"...Why do you say that?" It was all I could croak out. I had to swallow the dryness of my throat, as if I had been sucked dry of any backhanded response I could've come up with.

"Because it's true. I'm tired of hating you,” he confessed again, “and I think you've started feeling the same way, am I right?"

_ Could I really stop hating him? Did the world seriously stop spinning? Had Hell finally frozen over?? _

"I suppose it  _ is _ pointless," I said briskly, not commending him for realizing the matter first. "We haven’t really gotten far otherwise though, what did you expect?”

"I don't know. Maybe we could try something else?"

The conversation was transitioning a little too quickly for my liking. I hadn't had time to prepare for something so preposterous.

"Such as?" It came out as a whisper because I was already preparing myself for the worst.

"I dunno, maybe we could try getting along more, to start?"

It hadn’t stung nearly as bad being worded  _ that _ way, but just to confirm...

"Like...become  _ friends _ ? Is that what you're suggesting?" My tongue tasted metallic as I let the taboo word slip. My blood had turned hot and I found myself unable to meet his gaze.

"If you wanna do that...I wouldn’t want to force anything on yo...-to you!" he quickly tried catching himself before he made any more personal confessions. "Ah, wait, maybe I shouldn’t have worded it like that. Ah, fuck. Dammit."

I blinked in surprise, tuning out the rest of his curses. If it weren’t for the cold pack pressing against my face right then, I felt like my face might have just burnt off completely.

Rationally, I went over the pros and cons of what he was suggesting in my head, as unbelievable as it was. Entertaining the idea that our prior relationship really wasn’t getting us anywhere, I considered the possibility that it  _ would _ , in fact, be interesting to see how things went between us with a new approach.

The only problem was, what was the benefit from it?

“...Fine,” I agreed hesitantly. “But I’m not changing myself for you, Shizu-chan, we aren’t equals. If we’re going to be ‘ _ friends’ _ , you’ll have accept the fact that I’m a deity compared to likes of you,”  I boasted, but relaxed the tiniest bit when the condescending playful lilt returned to my usual to my tone.

I could feel him rolling his eyes from across the room. “You are nothing even  _ close _ to being a god, or anything  _ holy _ for that matter,” he scoffed, but there was no venom behind his words. He had grown more used to the idea of us speaking casually...more or less.

“And you’re nowhere near being considered a human,” I gave him a disappointed smile in condolence.

With that, he rolled over to face away from me. "Go to bed flea. Whatever Shinra’s smuggled in is working too much," mumbled over his shoulder.

I wanted to tease him more, now that my irritation had somewhat subsided. It was true, I was drowsy, but my mind didn’t want to shut off just yet.

“Ne, Shizu-chan."

"What?" he sighed as if I had ruined a perfectly good ten second nap.

"I'm not in my pajamas yet, I need to change."

"Good for fucking you," he said apathetically, back still turned to me.

"It seems my painkillers are making my muscles more lethargic. Be a doll and get them for me, would you~?” I cooed more playfully, now that we were ' _ friends _ '.

He groaned and rolled over to shoot me an ‘are-you-kidding-me?’ look.

"Hey, you're still wearing your clothes from today, too. Unlike you, I actually care about my hygiene.”

With another heavy sigh and some grumble of complaint, he complied, walking over to the closet. He came back out, tossing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts my way, and even though I had my arm specifically outstretched to catch them, he aimed the ball of fabric at my face. I let it slide, and watched grab some of his own clothes from the dresser drawer as he headed to the bathroom to shut the door behind him.

I set my ice pack down on the nightstand, taking the opportunity to change in the only few moments of privacy I would get. I sat up to shimmy out of my skinny jeans and slide on my favourite pair of polyester shorts in their place. I picked up my shirt, but the slowly working paralysis of the drugs caused it to slip from my grasp, falling to the floor. What I would normally set aside as a minor inconvenience, I found myself letting out an irritable groan as I bent over to pick it up.

Instantly, I felt all the blood rush to my head, sending a nauseating wave of dizziness to my blur vision. I grabbed my head to stop it from spinning, but lost my balance and allowed my knees to catch me as I hit the floor.

I practiced taking in deep breaths, but everything around me was fuzzy and my ears were ringing. All I could hear was the loud thrum of my heartbeat racing aggressively in my cranium.

"Flea?” I heard, muffled behind the clogginess of my hearing. “Where'd you-" he cut off as soon as he found me on the ground between the two beds. He knelt down beside me and put a hand tentatively on my shoulder to keep me steady. "What's wrong?" he asked, unmistakably sounding genuinely worried.

"I just feel...really dizzy...all of the sudden," I said between pants, still holding my head in both hands.

"You need to lay down again. Can you stand?"

"I think-”

He didn't hesitate to let me finish my sentence before he took initiative to stand behind me, lock his hands under my arms, and effortlessly pick me up to set me back on the safety of the mattress. He sat next to me, his arm still wrapped around my shoulders to keep me secure from falling again. I couldn't help but lean into him for support.

He didn’t protest, in fact, he brought me closer to his body. I could feel the heat radiating from under his clean shirt as he held me close for a few minutes, silently waiting for my head to clear. When I felt like I was ready, I slowly pushed myself away and his arm dropped loosely from my shoulder, but found a new comfortable spot wrapping around my waist.

"I'm okay now," I breathed a sigh of relief, but I was still feeling the prickliness of his touch.

"What even happened?" he asked in his low, husky voice, still sounding slightly concerned.

I looked down on the floor and gently kicked my fallen shirt. He put two and two together and bent down to pick it up, handed it to me, but to my surprise, made no attempt to mock my lack of efficiency for simple tasks.

My limbs felt so heavy and exhausted, I felt like at this point, it was meaningless to try to exert any more effort to finish dressing myself. I desperately needed sleep. It was all I could do to manage keeping my eyes open to stare blankly at the ball of fabric wrapped in my hands.

"It's not going to put it on itself," he stated, and I unnecessarily took it as a challenge.

I looked beside me and gave him my best to scowl, but it was difficult to do with eyes that were drooping more and more with each blink. I heaved another sigh, grabbing the hem of my shirt to pull it over.

“Do you mind?” I could no longer control the languid slur of my words as I addressed him.

He simply rolled his eyes and turned away to give me privacy, even though our bodies still brushed closely together.

The struggle continued as I attempted to raise the clothing up far enough to slip out of it, but my arms would make it about halfway before giving out on me.

"Do you need help?" he asked awkwardly with his back still turned to me. It sounded as if he pitied me and could no longer stand the idea of me fumbling at what should be a laborless process.

I tensed, feeling myself grow hot, as if the blood that had just drained rose to my cheeks once again. "T-that's not necessary..." I said with certainty, but there was shakiness in my breath.

To him it didn’t matter, and he turned around to face me looking more than just a little skeptical. The expression I wore was one unamused, but I could feel my face reddening on the spot.

He moved to situate himself closer behind me until his outer thigh was pressed against the small of my back. As I felt him grab the sides of my shirt, he shocked me accidentally, causing me to flinch.

“Ah, sorry about that,” he mumbled the small apology, and the heat of his breath ghosted the back of my neck.

I had goosebumps and I knew he could tell, but my voice remained steady when I told him it was fine, and to hurry up already; all of which was a complete lie for many reasons.

He slowly peeled the shirt away from my skin, his fingertips brushing against my ribs making me suck in a sharp breath. He paused about halfway, the shirt bunching in the pits of my arms. I felt my heart skip a beat as his hands barely touched my bare skin.

"Does it hurt?" he whispered in a hushed voice, right behind my ear, causing the hairs on my neck to stand on end.

The knot in my stomach tightened and I felt certain places on my body growing more sensitive than they had any right to be. If he had any sort of intelligence, I'd assume he was doing it on purpose, but I honestly believe he was clueless to the more than accommodating positions of our bodies and how his voice sounded like velvet in my ears.

I had enough composure to shake my head slowly to signal for him to continue. I didn’t trust my own voice to speak at the moment which was a feeling I  _ did not _ like.

I slipped my arms through the sleeves and he was cautious to pull it over my head, not to bump the injury. I let out another shaky breath, thinking to myself that the ordeal was half over, and soon I would be under the safety and comfort of my sheets  _ alone _ ,  _ without _ the brute touching me so gently-

But as I thought of just that, large palms found their way to the blades of my shoulders and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

“S-Shizu-chan…” I murmured in uncertainty as I felt curious hands wander along the width of my back. “What are you…?”

“You have bruises all over your back…” The softness in his tone made me think he wasn't just acknowledging the fact. However, the gravelliness of his voice when he was tired sent a shudder down my spine straight to my groin, especially while his tender fingers caressed my flesh to examine it with more precision.

“Well,” I said airily. “That’s what happens when your roommate is a wild animal who likes to throw people against hard surfaces,” I tried to sound as matter-of-factually as possible, but the innuendo came out as more of a whisper.

“Hm,” he hummed thoughtfully. “Maybe if my roommate wasn’t such an annoying parasite, I wouldn’t have to.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about-”

The grip on my shoulders trailed slowly down to my waist, holding me more firmly by the hips. My heart was nearly beating out of my ribcage and I was subconsciously worrying about if he could feel my pulse through his palms.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,  _ Izaya. _ ”

My breath hitched at my name, which rolled off his tongue more naturally and seductively than it ever had. My insides were squirming in protest and all I could do was fidget uncomfortably under the weight of his hands that snaked around my sides.

“Shizu-chan! What are you-?!”

“Shhh…” he shushed me, feeling the softness of his hair as he nuzzled into my shoulder blade to embrace me. “Just let me try something.”

I swallowed the hard lump that had formed in the dryness of my throat. His breath was hot against my bare skin as he exhaled shakily. Sweat was beading at my hairline and I could feel a dampness spreading all throughout the rest of my body.

The bareness of his arms around my abdomen, I told myself, wasn’t real. The warmth his skin produced definitely didn’t feel as it was scorching my own, and it was most  _ certainly not _ a feeling of comfort, nor  _ anything  _ I had ever desired. No, of course not.

“Sorry about hitting you in the face...again,” he breathed. I could feel his words reverberating against my spinal chord as he spoke, “-and for all of these…”

I took a quick intake when the delicate touch of one of his fingers traced a circular pattern around a spot I didn’t have to see to know it was decorated by a dark blemish. I was so used to the consistently dull ache that spread through the muscles of my back, I let it go unnoticed most days. It wasn’t like there was someone to constantly point out all the scrapes and bruises I got from being chased through the city, be it by thugs or by Shizu-chan, I had taken many a fall on our escapades.

That wasn’t to say that I was ungraceful, however. I took quite a lot of pride in my nimble body and quick speed that I had trained for over the years, even before we met.

In a situation like this though, I would take a hundred scratches and falls to escape the sympathetic caressing of untrained hands. Hands that I knew were solely for fighting, for breaking and for hurting.

“Flea…” It was barely an audible whisper in the crook of my neck. “Sleep…”

I was pulled closer into his chest suddenly before I could prepare myself as we fell back onto the mattress. I was at least thankful for the downy pillows that cushioned our landing.

“Are you serious?!” I hissed, baffled when he hugged me tighter into a spooning position. My heart was racing as the heat that rose to my cheeks once again.

“‘m tired,” he breathed, too close for comfort.

“So am I, but you have your _ own _ bed!” I protested, but I knew it was for naught as I tried to squirm out of the barricade of strong arms.

“‘dun feel like it,” he mumbled again with his nose buried into my hair.

I huffed an agitated sigh, knowing that it was pointless to exert unnecessary energy trying to escape from the unyielding embrace. At the very least, I managed to settle in, finding a comfortable enough spot between the array of pillows and the hold of Shizuo’s limbs caged around me. It didn’t take long before drowsiness took over, and I didn’t bother with pulling up the covers because I was already satisfyingly warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for only a little taste of fanservice this chapter, but I promise the next one will be much more quenching >_>  
> Now that the boys have made a truce, let's see just how long this lasts, lol.  
> Thanks for reading, I'll try to update soon!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo! Another update on the same day! This one is very satisfying. It's in Izaya's POV and it's basically Izaya doing dirty, flea-like things when Shizuo isn't around~  
> WARNING: As of now this fic is NSFW.  
> Enjoy!

_ Izaya _

 

The sun was shining through the small crack between the fold of the curtains and the light blinded me as my eyes fluttered open. I didn't have to check the time to know it was early in the morning. As I laid there, my mind was still foggy and fought the urge of letting the bright rays that seeped through the window wake me up fully. Had I had my way, I could have laid there for days, but it was one of those uncooperative mornings where I found myself unable to drift back again into relaxing slumber.

A soft hum interrupted my semicoherant thoughts, and my bleary eyes squinted into focus the figure laying beside me. Without thinking, I shifted upright immediately, startled at the sudden realization that once again, I was sharing the same bed as the man who had become an even bigger nuisance since we started rooming together.

Not only that, but where the  _ hell  _ was my shirt?! My memory was still groggy from the night before.

I looked to my side and stared at him as he slept, immersed in the deepest of sleeps, unshaken by my sudden movements.

His hair was a mess. He slept with one arm slumped over, hanging off the bed, the other tucked under the side of his cheek. That very hand just so happened to be clutching onto the article of clothing I was missing…

I suddenly felt more bashful, not knowing if it were from sleeping half-naked next to Shizuo, or if it was because I finally remembered just how it had come to this; I wasn’t functional enough last night to properly dress myself, and he had only managed to accomplish  _ undressing _ me,  _ that bastard. _

I peered over him to examine him more closely. Only one of his legs was still stuck under the covers, which desperately clung on to the side of the mattress. I imagined he must have pulled them over us sometime in the middle of the night, as I saw that I had a layer of white sheets draped over me as well.

Despite the knowledge of him being an obviously restless sleeper, his face showed the most peaceful expression. His eyes were shut softly, the furrow between his brows was relaxed, and his mouth was slightly parted. His body was still, with the only exception of the occasional rise and fall of his half tucked-in figure to indicate he was still alive and breathing. I had never seen him so calm, I realized, a little surprised. I found that an unknown smile had made its way across my lips, as I watched thoughtfully over the overgrown kid. I immediately dismissed the idea that he could possibly be considered cute and frowned again.

Slowly, I leaned over him, careful not to wake him as my precise fingers pried the dark fabric from his grasp. Thankfully he didn’t have his usual death grip on the shirt and it slid out of his hold without tearing the material.

I slipped it back on over my head, feeling better now, being completely covered and willed myself out of bed. I grabbed my phone and the pill bottle that I had set on the nightstand last night and crept into the bathroom, shutting the door softly, not to wake the sleeping beast.

When I looked in the mirror I wasn't surprised to see the fading red mark on the side of my forehead. It could have looked worse, I supposed, but it still sensitive to the touch.

Now that I had some light, I looked carefully at the pill bottle in my hand and studied the ingredients.

As I suspected, there was a high dosage of acetaminophen, along with some other antihistamines that had caused such terrible drowsiness the night before. It was in my better judgement to not test it again.

_ Damn Shinra and his smuggled drugs. _

My phone lit up on the counter and speak of the devil, when I saw that I had received a new message from the very four eyes I had just been mentally cursing at.

"What could he possibly want at this hour..." I muttered to myself, unlocking the device.

 

Four Eyes: [ When you wake up, come next door so I can check you again :) ]

 

It was so annoying that I could  _ hear  _ the sing-song voice as I read it again. Rolling my eyes, I clicked the cell's lock button.

After I had brushed my teeth, I walked across the hall and tapped on the door a few times before my ever-cheerful ‘doctor’ opened it with a bright smile.

"That was fast," he beamed, and it was sickening how someone could be so lively at some ungodly hour in the morning.

"Yes, well, when your roommate snores like a vacuum," I exaggerated, stepping past him, "it's hard to  _ not  _ start the day forsakenly early."

He closed the door quietly, I noticed, probably because Kadota was still laying in his bed asleep.

"He's probably the hardest sleeper I've ever met," he chuckled behind me, assuming he was talking about his own roommate.

I felt the urge to complain about how restless Shizuo slept in comparison, but decided it was best to keep that information to myself.

I faced him. "You wanted to see me?"

"Yes, step in here," he said going into the bathroom and flicking on the light switch. I followed him. "Sit," he ordered, and I obeyed, taking a seat on the closed toilet lid.

He grabbed his light pen from his black medical bag and shined it in each of my eyes. "How's your head feeling?" he asked professionally.

"Fine," I lied, waving the bright light away.

He eyed me suspiciously, but I gave him a deadpan expression, hoping to get this whole ordeal over with. He started prodding at the swelling, and it was all I could do to hold back a wince.

"Well it's gone down quite a lot, which is good."

"Does that mean I can leave now?" I asked impatiently.

He sighed, expecting that I would be a difficult patient. "Izaya, as your unofficially unlicensed doctor, I  _ highly  _ recommend against going outside today. You need some rest, and you can't risk getting injured a third time..” He continued to rattle on about some other doctorly advice but I was too hung up on those last words.

_ A third time? How did he know? _

Of course I should have expected Shizuo to be such an open book to his best friend. If only he knew the disadvantage he was putting both of us in. Now Shinra would start doing that creepy doctor thing and pry deeper and deeper into Shizuo's and my business.

I sighed. I would have to disregard it for now though, over thinking just made my head hurt.

"-seriously, Izaya, get some sleep, you look awful."

“That’s not a very nice thing to say,” I said disheartedly.

He rolled his eyes, knowing not to take me seriously as he rummaged through his bag once more. “Ever heard that it's better to be safe than sorry?” he said, and handed me a new pill bottle to switch with him. Hopefully these didn’t have more unwanted side effects.

“Funny that I don't remember that phrase existing in my vocabulary,” I lied through an innocent smile.

I knew it was for the best, but I couldn't afford to waste a day just lounging around by myself. Nonetheless, I gave him some peace of mind and told him I would think about it as I left to return next door.

"Mornin' flea," the blonde yawned, sitting up, stretching in bed as I walked into the room.

"I suppose it is," I said apathetically plopping down onto the other unoccupied bed.

He scowled at me. "And you said  _ I  _ wasn't a morning person."

“You're not a pleasant at  _ any _ time of the day, protozoan,” I corrected him.

He continued to glare, but changed the subject. "How's your head?"

I turned on my side to face him. "Perfectly fine," I said with a fake smile.

I was thankful he didn’t bring up last night, and I most certainly wasn’t going to admit that I had caught him cuddling with my clothes when he was sleeping. Even though it was perfect information to have for blackmail, I was fine with Shizuo forgetting last evening’s events.

"You're not leaving this room,” he decided.

I frowned at that. "So you say." I rolled over, staring back up at the ceiling. "As much as I appreciate your mothering, Shizu-chan, it's quite unnecessary. I'll be fine-"

"You're not leaving."

I felt my eyes narrow, but that only brought more discomfort to my oncoming headache.

We sent each other a death glare for a good minute, neither of us backing down. Doing this gave me enough time to weigh the thought of following the instructions administered to me by both morons trying to control my actions. It was true that I hadn't slept the best or as  _ long _ as I had wanted the past couple nights...And it was also true that my headache, even on the meds, would only go away if I wasn't exerting myself...

I sighed. "Fine, I'll stay, but not because you told me to," I corrected whatever feeling of accomplishment he might be thinking. "I barely slept last night because of you, you know. Even when you're not shouting like a deranged man, you still snore."

His brow furrowed more at the comment looking appalled. "I don't snore."

I smiled inwardly, thinking I may have triggered a new nerve. He really  _ didn't  _ snore, but it was fun to see what ridiculous reactions I could get out of him with my white lies.

I propped up my chin with one of my hands. "Oh but you do~. It's quite bothersome, really..." My smirk grew even more and my fingers absentmindedly drew patterns in the sheets I was laying on. "I just might prefer when you're screaming my name instead, actually..." I looked directly at him, the words lazily rolled off my tongue.

His lips pinched in a straight line, and of course his cheeks grew a shade darker. "Fuck you," he said getting up and leaving for the bathroom.

I chuckled to myself.

_ Shizu-chan certainly knows how to brighten someone's morning... _

Several minutes later, Shinra sent me another text about eating together. Even though I was ‘injured’, didn't mean that I couldn't join them for breakfast. He gave me a new ice pack too, which I gratefully took.

At the breakfast table, it was only muscle memory that made me reach for the chair farthest from Shizuo, but today something, or rather some _ one _ , stopped me.

"Iza-Iza!" A cheerful voice called out from the other end.

A heard a snort of laughter at the nickname coming from a certain  _ blonde _ , whom I gave a dirty look before turning to the girl with a smile.

"Yes, Erika?"

"Can you sit with me today?" She pointed to the chair across from her, which just so conveniently happened to be next to Shizuo. His face fell into his signature scowl again.

Acknowledging the pleasant aura that emanated off him just from the suggestion, I brightened. "Certainly."

She eyed me carefully as I sat down, and didn't hesitate to start a conversation.

"So what happened to your head?" She gestured her fork to the ice pack I was currently holding against my forehead.

"Oh you know..." I shot an irritated side glance at the man sitting next to me.

She smiled in a way that screamed she obviously had a good guess, but instead said, "I'm not sure I quite get what you mean," she cooed, smiling wickedly.

"The flea ran into a door," the blonde's non-amused voice interjected.

There was a moment of silence among us.

"Is that so?" I noticed Erika smirk briefly before she took a bite of her pancake.

"Ah, but Shizu-chan, you left out the best part, ne?” There was a playful lilt to my voice. “I wasn't hit hard enough to forget who childishly slammed it into my face." 

"Wouldn't have happened if I didn't have to share a damn room with you," he said flatly.

"So mean, Shizu-chan! And here I thought we were friends! I'm wounded,” I feigned disdain, clutching my heart sarcastically.

Obviously his protozoan mind had already forgotten about our friendly breakthrough last night. But what else was to be expected?

He simply rolled his eyes, taking a sip of his milk.

"You aren't exactly the  _ ideal  _ roommate either," I said taking a bite of cantaloupe from my fruit salad.

He snorted at that. "Excuse me? I believe  _ you  _ were the one who kept harassing me about wanting to room together," he said irritably, but I could tell it was only halfhearted.

"You should feel honored, I'm a fabulous roommate," I boasted. "You just have no appreciation for great things."

"Tch, great things my ass," he mumbled and courageously stole a cherry from my bowl of fruit. I raised my eyebrow as I was caught off guard by his suddenly tame personality.

He challenged me, cocking a brow of his own, and I felt even more amused by his playful body language clearly asking,  _ ‘whatcha gonna do about it? _ ”. He chewed on the bent stem that remained between his teeth, as if he could only be calm if he had some sort of oral fixation.

I shook my head and rested an elbow on the table. Setting my ice pack down, I plucked the stem from his lips, giving him a sly look. His eyes widened as I placed the stem on my extended, retreating it back into my mouth.

"You see Shizu-chan, you aren’t at all appreciative," I said coyly with occupied lips.

Within seconds I stuck my tongue in his direction to flaunt the stem with a perfect knot tied in the middle, smirking to the best of my abilities with an open mouth.

I took the stem in my fingers, twisted it around to examine it carefully. "And there lies the possibility of missing out on a very-" I shot a brief glance down to my breakfast and flashed my bright eyes back to his with a smug look, " _ fruitful  _ relationship.” I met his gaze, slowly swiping my tongue along my bottom lip.

On the table, his hands balled into fists, his knuckles whitening at the pressure. He should have known by now it was pointless to challenge me, especially out in the open where it would potentially lead to public embarrassment.

We could have glared each other down all day, if it hadn't been for the creepy giggling and clapping across the table.

The blonde and I turned to face our female friend whose expression was contorted into some kind of demented smile. It didn't take long for my brain to register what was probably going through the otaku girl's mind. Let alone everyone else who had caught watch of the situation.

"Wow! It's like something straight out BL story!!" she shrieked. "Shizuo is totally a mayadere with his obsession of killing you, and Iza-Iza is the perfect dorodere since he's so twisted but affectionate in his own way! You both have such conflicting personalities, but deep, deep down you have undying feelings for each other and-mphmphmph!"

"I think that's enough of that!" Yumasaki sheepishly smiled in fear to the blonde and I as he covered his friend's mouth.

There was another awkward silence, which I broke with a chuckle. "Ne, that's certainly quite an imagination you have there, Erika...Unfortunately for you, however, this  _ isn’t  _ a yaoi manga.” I send the blonde an arrogant smile and continued, “besides, monsters aren't my type~.”

He looked at me I'm disgust. "You're one to talk,  _ flea _ ."

There was another squeal from across the table as she fought to pry the hand away from her face to get in her last words. "It's like you're already a bickering couple!" before the other blonde boy silenced her once again.

Instead of pressing the matter further like I normally would have, I decided I had already won and celebrated by sticking my tongue out at him once more, just to rub it in. He in turn scowled back at me.

The rest of breakfast went by and we all returned back to our rooms. To my surprise Shizuo wasn't angry with my behavior from earlier. Annoyed, yes, mad, not really.

I leaned against the wall with my arms crossed, still not liking the fact I was being left behind.

"I'll be back to check on you in a few hours to make sure you haven't done anything stupid," he said looking back at me as he turned the door handle.

I rolled my eyes. "Your concern is heartwarming."

He shot me a final glare and walked out of the room.

"Good riddance,” I mumbled, pushing myself off the wall and walking over to my bed.

I looked down at it for a moment, hesitating because I didn't want to sleep. I wanted to be  _ doing  _ something, and napping in the middle of the day wasn't a  _ progressive _ something.

Well at my current state it probably was, and I knew it was what my body needed, but I was still trying to convince myself otherwise.

I heaved a breath and gave in, crawling under the covers. I rolled over on to one side, then the other, and then back again. It was nearly impossible to get comfortable when I felt wide awake. I closed my eyes, giving up on comfortability and tried to let my mind relax.

It wasn’t until ten minutes later, I found myself staring at the blank screen of my laptop.

Unfortunately, I was already up to date with all the jobs I had been assigned, so work was out of the question. I didn't even have a single message that needed responding to either. I sighed in defeat out of maddening boredom and set my laptop on the bed beside me.

I checked the time on the clock at the nightstand.  _ He _ wouldn't be back to check on me for another couple hours or so...

"Why do things have to be so  _ boring _ !" I groaned, rubbing my eyes with the heels of my hands.

I got up and walked into the bathroom to look at myself in the mirror. I wasn't too shocked to see the swelling had gone down remarkably fast since I had taken another pill back in Shinra’s room, but there was still signs of a visible bump.

Something caught my eye on my designated side of the counter; a small, black, cosmetic bag I had completely forgotten I had brought on the trip. I eyed it carefully for a second before slipping a curious hand in, feeling around a bit.

Selecting one at complete random, I pulled out a small vial, popped off the cap and inhaled a long whiff of the pleasant odor.

_ Bergamot. _

I smiled as I inhaled the citrusy, tea-like oil. It was sweet and fruity, but with a bitter edge. It's other key attribute-besides the wonderful smell-was it's anti-inflammatory ingredient.

I dipped my hand in again, curious as to what I could possibly mix with it. I pulled out a second vile and read the label, causing a smirk to draw cross my lips.

_ Mint;  _ a natural aphrodisiac, that adds a little  _ unf  _ to your bath time.

I ran some hot water to fill up the rather large tub. Stripped down, I stepped in and slowly lowered myself into the steaming depths that scorched my skin, causing my taut muscles to unwind. I hadn't been all that sore from skiing-I do get a fair amount of exercise in every day-but it wasn't until the scalding water penetrated my flesh, hitting every nerve and muscle fiber, when I realized how tense I really was.

"Mmmm..." I sighed, relaxing as I finally sat down, letting my body adjust to the extreme temperature fluctuation. This was exactly what the doctor ordered...Well, close enough to what Shinra had said, right?

I looked over to where I had set the two small vials on the edge of the tub. Trying not to let them slip from my wet grasp, I carefully dripped a few droplets of each oil into the water. I was feeling a little more adventurous, so I added an extra couple of drops of the mint.

The strong aroma cleared my sinuses and my brain felt numb as I closed my eyes to let loose of whatever control I had over my conscious. Now was not the time to focus on suppressing any thoughts that wandered in from the back of my mind. I was only to relax, to let go.

I laid my head back against the cool tile feeling confident about my choice over sleeping. This was warmer and more comfortable than any bed I had slept in.

Well, that is, if I were sleeping alone.

Shizuo-chan’s bed had been warm...Body heat radiating from one to another...Large arms comfortably wrapped around my bare skin...

"Mmm, Shizu-chan..." I slid down the wall slightly to submerge myself more in attempts to recreate that passionate heat. It wouldn't be the same though. His boiling temper was no where near me right now, and even if it was...

What? Even if it was what?

_ I wonder what would happen if he were to... _

No. The blonde wouldn't be fond of containment such as this. He probably wouldn't be able to sit still long enough to enjoy it. And I'm almost _certain_ he wouldn't be gung-ho about bathing with another _man_ , let alone me...

_ But we can pretend, ne? _

_ Hmm...Shizu-chan...Here, in all his glory... _ I tried imagining it; a casual bath with the Fortissimo of Ikebukuro. The thought was almost laughable...almost.

_ Was there a way I could trick him into it? _ I was dying to know what his reaction would be.

It was near impossible stretch, but then again, I liked to view myself as the master of manipulation; like a magician, trickery was my forte.

I smiled at the image that appeared in my mind. I foresaw how it would all go down...Calmly, of course, if the brute agreed to it.

_ I opened my eyes leisurely and there he was. Damp, blonde locks of hair clung tight to his forehead; longer strands latching themselves on to his sharp jawline. Water that was too heavy in the steamy atmosphere condensed into tiny droplets which ran down smooth, tawny skin that appeared darker among the glistening, glass tile. His brawn arms spread out on the tub ledges, giving him a relaxed physique. If his dark, caramel eyes hadn't lazily been watching me, I could have sworn he was sleeping. _

_ I sent him a smug look and he gave me a questioning one with a raised brow. I slowly dragged my leg alongside his, up into it's natural bending position. Now having a better view, my eyes curiously wandered from his face down to his bare chest, slowly traveling the length of his body. Biting my lip, I met his gaze once again. _

If this were real, he would probably be red as a beet. However in my figment of imagination...

_ He canted his head and sent me a smirk. _

"Do you like what you see?"  _ He didn't have to say it, his body language spoke for him, but in my mind I could hear his gruff, seductive voice asking me. _

_ My mind urged to smirk back, but my body refused. It was difficult to will anything while looking deep into those molten, gold orbs and being in such close proximity to that gorgeous, sculpted body and that monstrous- _

My eyes snapped open and a hand reached for my chest. I hadn't realized just how much my heartbeat had sped up. The blood coursing through my veins felt hotter than the water I bathed in. It was definitely the aromatherapy, I told myself.

I looked around, as if to make sure no one was near me, as silly as it was. I  _ knew  _ I was alone.

_ It's not like anyone can read your thoughts, Izaya, _ I sarcastically told myself, though it sounded more like Shizuo's voice than my own.

"Perhaps not," I said thinking aloud, "but there are more obvious things that don't  _ need _ telepathy to know just what I was thinking about."

I looked down at myself. I was incredibly hard. The feeling was a little embarrassing, but not exactly shameful.

I tilted my head back and let out a slow breath. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been turned on like this. I didn’t usually get hard ons when I thought about people...In fact, I couldn’t recall a single time that I had. The strange idea that it had been  _ Shizuo _ of all people left me feeling a bit perturbed, but at my current state, I didn’t plan on just waiting around for my predicament to go away. Who knew how long that would take…

It was stupid to admit that the images from last night flashed through my memory. I was sure the triggering had come from the recollection of the taller male’s hands ghosting my skin at the touch as he undressed me. It wasn’t an easy feeling to shake off, and the thought of it possibly happening again caused an aching throb in my lower region.

_ Ah, what have I got to lose? _

The hand currently resting above my palpitating heart hesitantly trailed down the front of my chest, slowly lowering itself into the water and settling my stomach. I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on recreating the scene I had previously been thinking of, but in additional detail.

I tried to recall all the times I had caught glimpse of his body. I imagined him here with me, curious and fully exposed, the idea of our vulnerability just turning me on more.

I slid my hand further down, slowly grazing my erection. I took a sharp breath in as the experimental touch shot through my body, tingling down my spine like electricity. When my breathing had calmed slightly, I hesitantly grasped my length and began to pump myself gradually. My exhaling was a little shaky at first since it had been a while since I last touched myself. I hadn’t yet made up my mind if I was sure I was comfortable thinking about him in this way, but my body's decision had clearly already been made. I settled on a dilatory pace, awaiting my thoughts to give me the need to hasten.

_ There was nothing half-lidded about the way he looked at me now. He was on high alert this time; those predatory eyes were locked on my naked body like it was the only source of nourishment it had seen in weeks.It was the hunger I saw in his gaze that made my heart accelerate. If looks could eat people, well...Let's just say I felt as though I were devoured. _

_ As if on cue, he sat up and slowly stalked toward my end of the tub. I could hear the disturbance that caused miniature waves to crash into themselves in the water as he waded over. I swallowed the lump that had formed in the dryness of my throat as he lurched over me. A hot puff of air entered my ear, and it sent a trill of shivers down my spine with each of his heavy pants.  _

"Sh-Shizu-chan...What are you doing?" _ My voice quavered at his name, as if I had to reassure myself of my desire. _

_ "Sexual harassment." His voice was rough and grated against the baritone of his low whisper. _

_ Without warning, sharp teeth latched themselves onto my cartilage causing me to whimper out a moan. His heated breath never left my skin as he continued to bite his way down to my neck, sucking gently. _

_ I wanted to pry myself away from the overwhelming sensation, but a large hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me towards the source. _

"Nnngh-!"

_ The suction of his lips and the movement of his teeth and tongue worked simultaneously at my skin. I could feel the capillaries of my dermis bursting the harder he sucked. My heart was beating out of my ribcage and loud in my ears as he had his way with me. No matter how much I squirmed under the pressure in my efforts to dilute the frenzy, it was no match for his beastly strength. In my struggles, the obvious solution to him was to clamp his teeth down on my shoulder. _

_ I cried out only to be silenced by his lips crashing into mine. His tongue easily took advantage of my gasp, furthering the exploration of my foreign, wet cavern. The way he kissed was the same as how he had looked; hungry. It wasn't just his mouth though, his hands were all over me, caressing the tender flesh of my thigh and the other hand pulling at my hair. _

_ My breath hitched when his palm brushed against my erection. I felt him smirk in the kiss as he did it once more, a little rougher than the first time. My hips bucked and my nails dug into his shoulders, as they had, at some point snaked around his neck for support. My body urged for more. _

_ My reaction was all he needed to further his ministrations, gripping my arousal that so desperately demanded attention, he didn't hesitate to start at a moderate pace. _

"Mmmm..." I sighed, biting my lower lip as I concentrated, squeezing my eyes shut.

My grip firmed around my own dick and quickened its stroke. Precum was already starting to seep through my fingers.

_ As one of his hands jerked me off, the other aimlessly wandered to find a purpose. A finger grazed my nipple as his hand traveled down my chest, causing it to pebble. I suppose he found it amusing because after identifying its location, he gave a tight pinch. _

_ I broke the kiss to throw my head back as my body received the large quantities of stimulation. I could feel as my face contorted into signs of copious amounts of pleasure that I was very close. _

_ I opened one eye to meet his gaze. His cheeks were flushed-though not nearly as much as mine-and his molten eyes swarmed with his own arousal. He stared back at me watching contently, looking determined to finish what he started. _

_ " _ Say my name, _ " he requested in a stern, gravelly voice. _

"Nnngh-!!" _ My breathing was becoming labored as I was reaching my climax. I could feel my muscles begin to twitch in preparation before I would release. _

"Izaya..."  _ The low voice insisted again, his hand quickening speed. _

"Sh-Shizu-ch-chan-!" The sound barely left my lips in between pants. I felt my toes curl in ecstasy.

"- _ AH! _ " I couldn't stop the loud, choked out moan from escaping my lips as I came into my palm. All of my muscles reacted spasmodically, my heart still racing, and mind foggy from the sensual high.

I didn't have much time to recover when I heard the door to the hotel room close and the muffled, tentative voice sound from the other side of the wood that separated me from the very man who had just caused my all-consuming orgasm.

"Flea?"

My blood ran cold and I felt my heart sink.

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked a taste of what's to come (cum), but sorry for leaving it on such a cliffhanger. Expect another update later in the week!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO sorry for not being able to post there for a bit. My sister graduated this past week and we had been doing a lot of preparing for her grad party but now that that's all done with I can go back to updating more regularly. I should have given more of a warning that that double update a couple Saturdays ago was to hold you guys off until this weekend. Whoops. Anyway, I was only able to gather a short chapter this time, I do apologize, but I wanted to put out something this week.  
> This one is in Shizuo's pov and the next one will be too! (I divided this chapter in half because I couldn't make a good transition between the two scenes). I'll put the second half of this out during the week too, so bear with me.  
> Also another update!! So I've finally taken down my old work on fanfiction and replaced it with the new rewritten chapters. So no more confusion there. (Again I'm seriously sorry to disappoint). I will be updating the same time on each site the day I post. I still haven't found a specific day that works best to update regularly on, but expect at least one update a week.  
> That's all for now, enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

"Flea?" I repeated after hearing no response. "It...sounded like you fell, are you okay?"

_ ‘Guess I can’t leave for forty-five fucking minutes before the damn louse was doin' stupid shit and  injuring himself again. _

"Y-yeah, haha...I just slipped, is all. I'm fine..."

What I was expecting was more of a  _ "no, Shizu-chan, I'm out cold again~", _ or some other sarcastic remark. Instead, his voice was noticeably hesitant when he responded, which made me suspicious.

"You aren't  _ crying _ are you?!" I hadn’t meant to enforce the word so much as it left my lips, but the idea of the flea crying  _ again _ made my stomach churn. There was only so much of  _ that _ a man could take.

"Ah, Shizu-chan…” The door opened to present the shorter male in question, wrapped up in nothing but a white towel hanging low around his hips. He leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed, smirking with a mischievous glint in his sharp eyes, but I noticed that his cheeks were flushed. Probably from taking a shower or something, I dismissed. "It's almost cute how much Shizu-chan worries about me. Had known all it took was falling down a few times to get your attention…” He looked me up and down slowly, the curve of his lips grinning devilishly when his scarlet gaze met mine. “I would have done it  _ ages  _ ago~.” 

He seemed to be back to normal now, subtract the more so creepy, up-to-no-good vibe that was emitting off him. The fact that he would admit something so openly, jokingly or not, made my skin crawl.

However, I didn’t dwell on the sarcastic demeanor for any more than a second before it hit me; the smell that emanated from of the door he was standing in. The sweet and bitter odor from my dreams sent a wave of terrifying flashbacks through my memory. It matched perfectly down to the very last minutiae-the unique, fruity, yet bitter-tea flavor, to the teeniest tiniest hint of mint. My nostrils dilated as if the scent I was inhaling burned.

My only question was  _ how _ ? _ How _ could I smell it when I wasn’t enduring one of those bizarre nightmares? Even when I gave my hand a slight pinch just to make sure, it was still infesting the air that wafted around us. It was suffocating. I felt my throat closing as if at any minute I would start choking and convulsing.

It couldn’t just be me though, right? Or did the flea reek so badly that he could only smell his own stench? My only other logical explanation was that due to the stress of those dreams haunting me, I had become bat-shit crazy and the defiling aroma was all in my head.

"You always look like you're in such anguish.” He scrutinized me, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Seriously, are you not worried about looking thirty when you're almost eighteen? Wrinkles happen before you realize it, you know~." He pushed past me and the scent trailed behind him as he made himself comfortable on the edge of his bed and picked up the remote to turn on the TV.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely, undeniably wrong, and my gut feeling told me that if anyone knew what it was, it would be him. Mostly, because he was always the one behind things when weird shit started happening.

"Why does it smell in here..." Much to my surprise, my voice more quiet and calm than usual.

He didn't look up from the television as he spoke. "Smell? What smell?" he asked nonchalantly.

Now I  _ definitely  _ knew it was him.

"It smells like...I dunno, fruity tea or something...and mint,” I frowned in distaste.

"As I expected, you have a keen sense of smell, my animalistic-protozoan.” He turned to me and beamed a smile. “It's called aromatherapy.  _ Clearly  _ something you've never heard of,” he scoffed and directed his attention back to the screen again, continuing to surf through the channels.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I could feel the vein that usually started to throb in my temple whenever the other man felt the need to deem me incompetent.

He sighed as if _I_ were the one pestering him and turned to me with an arched brow _._ "Do you even _know_ what aromatherapy is?"

"Er...vaguely…”  _ Well so much for my defense.  _ I averted eye contact as I tried to recall where I had heard the term before. Nonetheless, I didn’t appreciate the condescending tone he always used with me. “It's just when you smell stuff, right? And then it makes you feel good?"

He broke into a loose cackle at that and finally turned to give me his full attention, ready to lay out the fucking dictionary definition for me. “It’s not the same as using a recreational  _ drug _ , Shizu-chan. You don’t get  _ high _ from it,” he chuckled. "Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of aromatic plant extracts. Different scents work in different ways. For example, the smell of lavender is used to reduce agitation and relieve stress. Perhaps something you should invest in, ne?"

"It sure as hell doesn’t smell like lavender," I retorted at his unnecessary comment.  _ Excuse me for being uninformed... _ However when he said it, I remembered Kasuka suggesting something like that once before...

"That's because  _ I'm _ completely stress free~, aren’t you jealous?” he smiled knowingly before he continued. “Anyway, I used something to help reduce the size of  _ this _ ," he pointed a finger to his forehead.

"And fruit and mint do that?" I cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. He really wanted me to just accept this bull shit?

"Well,” he shrugged, “sometimes I like to come up with my own concoctions.” The way his smirk widened didn’t sit well at all with me, but I left the matter, not wanting to hear another one of his lectures about aromatherapy.

I walked across the room to open the window. The sooner I could get rid of the fumes and clear the haze that seemed to have fogged up my mind, the better.

"What? Why are you opening that? It'll get rid of the-"

"That’s the point, flea, it  _ stinks _ .” I unlocked the safety on the window and started to crank it open. “Go sniff some bleach or something, maybe that’ll help get rid of whatever trauma has made you the fucked up parasite you are.”

"Ha ha, very funny. I’d expect that kind of poor humor from Shinra, but I suppose you’re equally, if not more disappointing." He stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Besides, it'll get too cold in here."

I stared back at him blankly. "Seems fine to me,” I shrugged. “It's your own fault if you get cold, you're like, half naked...You gonna put some clothes on anytime soon?" I asked dryly to hide the way ‘half naked’ had so easily rolled off my tongue.

The raven’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second and he stiffened, before returning to his usual derogatory self.

“Well,” he straightened his posture before continuing. “You certainly seem quick to fix a situation you deem problematic,” he said matter-of-factually. “If you have such an issue with me walking around like this, why don’t you do something about it yourself?” The satisfying hum he made to go along with that smarmy grin caused more rage to build inside me, however I was too busy trying to find a coherent response to his little insinuation that caused my mind to blank.

“Cat got your tongue? Or is your mind perhaps so simple that you don’t know how to dress other people once you’ve taken their clothes off~? Sound familiar?” he cooed.

_ The fuck is that supposed to-? Oh  _ fuck.

The unsettling, vague memory of last night’s events seemed to have been long forgotten due to the rush of everything else going on today. Up until now, I had had no recollection of the little moment we shared, but seeing him again, in a similar sense of nudity, I remembered as much detail as I could have gathered in my exhausted state the previous evening.

"P-put some damn clothes on, flea!" I stuttered, "I’m tired of looking at you in a towel." The last thing on my to do list was submitting to the thought of  _ that _ innuendo...

“And what if I want to wear just this for the rest of the day, hm? It  _ is _ my room too, don’t forget. I can do whatever I  _ please _ .” His voice was too syrupy and sweet. It made me fidgety as if I couldn’t decide between reaching over and strangling him or dressing him my damn self.

Sharing the same presence with him was nearly unbearable, but talking to him like this, hearing his teasing attitude and  _ knowing _ that nothing but bare skin remained under that fucking piece of white fabric that hung so low around his waist it shouldn’t even be legal; I couldn't stand it.

I hadn’t needed to see him like this-shirtless and in broad daylight-to know that he was a skinny fucker. Not the kind of sickeningly skinny, but more thin and lithe with lean muscle definition around his torso. His hips were narrower than most guys I'd seen too, and he didn’t have broad shoulders by any means. In fact, I was actually taken back a bit by how feminine and... _ delicate _ his body looked...Without a chest, of course. This was also the first time I had seen him like this from the front.

His skin was almost as fair as the towel that hugged him snugly, I noted, in all the right places.

There was nothing out of the ordinary about him otherwise, aside from the splotches of purple and yellow marks along the back of his arms and shoulders, as I remembered he told me was bruising from the times I had pushed him around. I recalled how gently I had touched him to examine them last night, and the thought made me flush at the memory. The otherwise unmarred skin was perfectly porcelain. No tan lines that were still fading from summer, no old scars, no visible hair, not even a single freckle on that doll-like slate of skin. The bizarre flawlessness of his structure camouflaged the very person that lie within it.

"I know I'm drop-dead gorgeous, Shizu-chan, but please, I just bathed. Let's _ try _ not to flood the room with your saliva, ne? Besides, staring is rude, didn’t anyone ever tell you that?" He smirked with such confidence I almost  _ wanted _ to add another bruise to the collection.

“You sayin’ it bothers you when people stare at you, even though  _ you _ were the one that insisted on not putting clothes on?”

“Oh it doesn’t bother me,” he corrected, “even though you’re technically not a person. I just don’t know what kinds of naughty and inappropriate things Shizu-chan might be thinking about me right now~,” he chided innocently.

I stiffened at the comment feeling the blood pool in my cheeks. Of  _ course  _ I wouldn’t think of anything like that, not at all…

“I suppose this is enough fanservice for now,” he sighed, turning on his heel to maneuver over to the closet. “It looks like you’ll pop if you turn any more red,” he snickered. “I’ll change, but no peeking~.”

“What do you-?!”

I felt the slap of cloth falling to drape over my head, and it took me a second to register that the flea had just _ thrown the fucking towel he was just wearing at my face.  _ I froze in place not sure if I were upset that his ass had just been wrapped up in this thing or thankful that my vision was currently being blocked from the man putting clothes on a few feet away from me. It didn’t make things any better when I took a deep breath in, I got an overwhelming waft of that disgusting fruity odor.

I started to tremble reaching a hand up to pull the fabric away from my face, but as soon as I lifted it, I got a full view of the rat bastard bending over in a pair of tightly fitting black briefs and immediately covered my eyes again.

“G-get a fucking room, dammit!” I stuttered, turning away to hide my humiliation.

“Didn’t I say no peeking?” he chimed in a sing-song voice. "Shizu-chan is such a pervert~."

"I am not!" I shouted helplessly against his taunts. 

He went back to rummaging through the closet humming something unfamiliar, offtune of course. My patience was growing thin.

“Ne, so what brought you back here anyway? Did you miss me that much?”

“As if...I came back to get my phone,” I grumbled.

There was a long pause before his response.

“Is that so?” He sounded like he was contemplating something. “I don’t think I’ve heard you call your family once thus far. Are they denying your calls? Poor thing, will you even have a home to return to?" he said woefully behind a disappointed smile.

I heaved an annoyed sigh. “I call them when you’re not around  _ eavesdropping _ . That’s why.”

“You still didn’t answer my question.”

“No, they don’t ignore me. ‘Guess your parents haven’t called you though.”

“Nope~, I’m a free man.” His voice grew closer as he walked over to me, lifting the towel from my vision. For some reason he was smiling thoughtfully. “I can only hope my godforsaken sisters have forgotten about me as well.” There was no hint of remorse in his tone.

He held the towel in place above my eyes and his own eyes were sparkling up at me. I couldn’t blink away from how captivating they were in that moment; bright, scarlet flecks dazzled playfully in the sunlight that streamed in through the window behind me.

"You're a terrible person," I said softly, as if my breath had escaped my lungs.

"I think I'm quite charming, actually." Another twisted Cheshire grin formed on his lips and in the corner of my eye I could see him holding a familiar, obnoxiously, bright orange object in his other hand.

“Flea…” From the distraction my voice lowered tentatively. “Is that my-”

Before I could even finish the  _ statement _ , more or less question, I  _ knew _ he was testing me by taking my phone. He dropped the towel back in my eyes and dashed away. He was a quick little flea and despite how quickly I darted after him, I still didn’t make it in time when I heard the lock on the bathroom door click behind him.

I took a deep breath in and out. "Izaya," I began as calmly as I could possibly manage. "Open the door."

"And why exactly, would I do something like that?" He challenged, muffled on the other side of the wood that separate us.

"I'm going to count to  _ five,  _ and you better open this door,” I demanded. I knew I could easily break it down, but if I did, I would regret it immediately, seeing as the bathroom was the only  _ private _ place around here. "One...two...-"

"You've already amazed me, Shizu-chan! You’ve already exceeded my low expectations of you. At this rate, you might actually have  _ two _ functioning brain cells.

“Izaya, open the damn door!” I shouted, now  _ really  _ pissed off.

"Let's see who you were last texting~,” he thought aloud so I could purposefully hear him.

Damn it all for not having a smartphone with a passcode.

" _ I-za-yaaa _ !" I said twisting the doorknob to no avail.

"Oh look it was your brother! How  _ not _ surprising.” I could hear the roll of his eyes in his tone. "I think we should update him on how you're doing this morning, don't you?” he tested. “How about this; 'Deeeear little brother,'" he dragged out each syllable causing me to hit my forehead against the door in defeat. "'I’m currently rooming with a guy, and I think he’s  _ veeery _ attractive. I want to tell him my  _ true _ feelings, but every time I open my mouth, I just insult him with my stupidity. What do I do?”

My mouth was agape in horror at the thought of Kasuka receiving a message like this. My throat was tightening and my heart was racing, utterly mortified that all the potential admiration my brother held onto for me, was about to crumble away into nothingness, or worse; shame. But it wasn’t until Izaya finished the text with a cherry on top when he said:

"’Love, your biggest letdown of a brother'...Send." I could hear the smugness in his voice, and it honestly pained me to hear, but this was the flea. He had no remorse or emotion and wouldn’t give a second thought to ruin someone’s day, relationship, or life.

When he opened the door, he was lucky he didn't receive a punch so hard it would knock that fucking grin into next week.

I was hoping that the redness in my face would pass for anger, but knowing Izaya, he'd of course see right through it. Hell, I couldn't even convince  _ myself _ it was just anger. My heart raced with worry, panic, and humiliation, anticipating what my brother might think as he read what was sent. I suppose I could kiss any respect Kasuka had for me goodbye.

I snatched the stolen phone from his grip and scrolled through the recent messages, hoping that this was all just a sick joke. To my remorse, sure enough, it had been sent and delivered one minute ago.

"D-do you know what you've just done?!” My voice cracked when I picked him up from where he stood by the collar and shook him relentlessly. I was so fearful not only for the reaction of my brother’s sake, but the fact that Izaya had once again dug me a grave I didn’t know how to get out of. Not to mention the things he was saying were...I mean, I couldn’t deny that the parasite was good looking genetically, but someone  _ knowing _ my inner most personal thoughts, no matter how ‘innocent’ they may be, made me want to vomit.

“ _ Fuck!”  _ I dropped him to the ground and ran my shaking hands through my hair. I thought I might actually be sick. “He’s going to think I’m...And with  _ YOU _ ?!”

"Only if you ask nicely~," he cooed behind a wince from hitting the floor.

"Y _ ou _ are a  _ fucked up _ little bastard, ya know that." My face felt even hotter and my heart beat was ringing in my ears.

"Oh, please. Do you  _ really _ think he's going to believe it was you? And what do you mean ‘ _ with me _ ’? I didn’t even mention my name,” he scoffed. It quickly registered in his mind that he hadn’t  _ needed _ to say just who my roommate was. “Oh, so you’ve been talking about me with him, have you?” he said smugly. “Have you been gossiping about me?”

“ _ No _ , i’ve been  _ complaining _ about you! Since no one else seems to pity me.”

“Oh you’re just being drammatic. If your honor-role-student-little-brother is as smart as you make him out to be, you have nothing to worry about. I’m just messing with you, take a  _ joke _ ,” he reprimanded. “That is, unless what I said was true~.”

I tensed and my stomach dropped at the realization that he thought he might be onto something.

“Don’t be gross,” I mumbled as I shoved my phone back into my pocket. I was still averting eye contact when he stood himself up and dusted off. I pushed past him to walk out the door when he stopped me to grab onto my sleeve.

“Seriously,” he said in a much less joking manner, “don’t worry about it. Kasuka’s a smart kid…”

The facial expression he wore was indifferent but I was certain he was masking something else I wasn’t aware of. I didn’t care though, and pulled myself away from his grasp and left the room without another word.

Just as the door was shutting behind me, my pocket vibrated. My heart skipped a beat as I hesitantly reached into my pants to grab the device. My eyes scanned the small text of the new message that read:

 

Kasuka: [ You shouldn’t speak so lowly of yourself, Brother. ]

 

I could hear him scolding me in the back of my mind as I awaited the follow up text.

 

Kasuka: [ “People change their mind. Today you hate someone, tomorrow you may become fond of them.” -Naoki from Love in Tokyo ]

 

I surprisingly found myself smiling at the quote as I read it over again. Kasuka had always been cheesy when he watched Japanese dramas, quoting those and movies whenever he gave advice. I gave him just as much credit for remembering the countless times I had gone to him for help and he would respond with a silly saying or any other weird expression. Little would I expect, that somehow it always came in handy.

Right now though, he couldn’t have said anything more to soothe my edginess. My previous worry had settled a bit, and I thought about responding, telling him that it actually hadn’t been me that messaged him first, but I didn’t have the heart to brush aside the genuineness behind his words. For now, at least, I’d let him know that I appreciated his wisdom. Although I still remained a little flustered sending him an awkward, “thank you”, I let out the breath I had been holding in relief.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading! I'll be updating part 2 soon!


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a day later than what I would have liked to post, but I decided that I wanted to add a totally new element from what I had originally in this part of the story. I'm also going to answer a couple of the comments from my last update (I won't use names, just 'cause):
> 
> Q: Is there any particular reason why I thought it [the story] needed to be redone?  
> A: Yes! I was really not motivated with where I was originally going in the other story, mostly because my writing was crap before. So I'm approaching this piece now with more experience and confidence :)  
> Q: Am I going to change any of the plot?  
> A: For the most part I will be continuing with everything I had before. The only thing I'm really doing now is adding more to the plot that I thought was lacking before...So expect more events from what was already in the beta story, I guess. At this point in time I don't /think/ I will be doing any major plot changes. I kinda just wanted to work on the mood of each chapter and getting more personal with the characters.
> 
> And also in response to the person who edited their comment before, PLEASE do not worry about it, I did not find it pushy at all! I really struggle with updating on time so I'm trying to get better at it and set goals for me every week to update once. (I just haven't found a regular schedule yet).
> 
> Anyway, thank you all for the great feedback last week! I hope you enjoy this chapter!

_ Shizuo _

 

"You guys go ahead...I need a break," I said waving my friends onward up the snow-capped hill.

"You sure?" Kadota sent me a questioning look. Someone like me didn't just 'take breaks'.

Unlike Shinra, who assumed there was always something wrong, the first to jump to conclusions; Kadota knew when to keep a certain distance and observe the bigger picture. Though he wasn't one to talk about his own feelings-Kadota was always well, Kadota-when he thought something was out of the ordinary between friends, his gut feeling was impeccable. I couldn't lie to him, that was for sure. It would seem morally wrong to deny his credibility in reading the situation. 

"Yeah, I just need to think...I'll catch up later," I said honestly.

The other great thing about Kadota, was that he didn’t push with questions.

He nodded in agreement and headed toward the ski lift to follow Shinra’s suit. I, on the other hand, took a seat on the bench outside of the ski shop, looking out towards the bustling mass of people until they disappeared over the valley. I kept my eyes lingering through the crowd in front of me, watching skiers and tubers racing down the steep slopes. Children were giggling, parents were keeping a watchful eye, still enjoying themselves in the nice weather. The sun was bright and fluffy, white ground beneath them illuminated all the bright colours and fluorescences of various winter jackets and hats.

I took a deep breath, leaning my head back against the wall, to stare blankly up at the wooden beams supporting the overhang. I sat with my eyes closed for a while, slowly beginning to tune out the sounds of the crowd and excitement of the mountains. Every few minutes, the bell on the door to the shop would chime to greet another passing customer, shutting the door softly behind them. The bench wasn’t the most comfortable, but I found myself relaxing to the white noise in the background. I began to drift into a light dream-like state.

_ The sound of relaxed, steady breathing welcomed me first, followed by the flavored air I had grown overly familiar with. It didn’t strike me nearly as terrible as it had back at the hotel room-most of that shock came from  _ not _ being asleep-and I blinked a bleary eye open. As expected, I was greeted by the same small, candle-lit room with the large king size bed I was so accustom to. All that was missing was it’s host. _

_ I gave myself a moment to adjust to the dream and I started to sit up, but felt a shift in weight over my shoulder that I hadn’t noticed before. _

_ The very raven haired man lay hugging at my side, an arm draped over my chest and his head finding a comfortable resting place in the nook of my shoulder. I watched the rise and fall of his back, unsure if he was simply not moving or actually asleep; I couldn't tell from the angle we were positioned. _

"Flea...?"  _ I asked hesitantly, softly in case of the latter. _

"Hmm?"

_ So he was awake. _

"You...alright?”

_ He turned his head upward to look at me _ . "Of course,"  _ he smiled softly. _ "Why wouldn't I be? I'm with my Shizu-chan."  _ He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world and I felt a sudden heat flare at my cheeks. Since when was I  _ his?

_ There was a moment of silence before I spoke up. _ "So you're...a figment of my imagination, right? Dream Izaya? Can I call you that?"

"I don't see why not,” he shrugged, “both are true."  _ He sounded pleased by his new nickname, as he snuggled back down into my side. _

"Why do you keep invading my dreams anyway?"

_ He snickered softly to himself.  _ “Invading? Don’t you think that’s a little harsh? My feelings are hurt.”

_ I rolled my eyes and corrected myself, _ “appearing.”

"You’re asking me? Isn’t it obvious?”

_ I don’t know what could possibly be obvious about me dreaming of the flea. _ “Sorry, I don’t think-”

“Ne, do you think dreams mean anything?”  _ he interrupted. _

“Mean anything? Uh, I guess it depends what the dream is about…”  _ I said thoughtfully _ .

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but wouldn’t you believe that dreams are related to experiences? Things you think about often, but can’t explain? Dreams  _ are _ quite abstract, after all.”

“I guess so.”

“Wouldn’t you also think that they also deal with emotions? Sometimes induced by keeping feelings to oneself or being in denial?”

“What are you trying to say…”

“Oh nothing, I just thought that maybe this all was triggered by something, no?”  _ There was a playful lilt to his voice. _

_ “ _ You think that I’m  _ trying  _ to dream about the louse?”  _ I said in disbelief. _

“I said ‘triggered’, there’s a difference.”

“Trigger or not, I don’t know what could possibly-”

“Who have you been spending the most time with recently? Who has taken a huge role in your life for almost four years? Who do you have a unique, but bafflingly complex relationship with? Why are they there  _ always? _ ...If you didn’t want someone in your life so badly, why are you letting them in? Why are you letting them see  _ this  _ side of you?”

_ I blinked several times, stunned by the sudden interrogation. I didn’t know where to start first, or if I could even answer  _ any  _ of them. I chose the one that seemed easiest to respond to with another question. _

_ “ _ Who says I’m trying to let him see me like this?”

“Well you aren’t doing a very good job at hiding it…” _ he mumbled. _

“Yeah, well...What exactly am I trying to hide, huh?”  _ I said turning to look at him. _

_ He looked up to me and I met his unfaltering, ruby gaze. _

“Don’t you find it amusing that you’re having an argument with yourself?”  _ he chided teasingly. _

_ I felt bashful realizing that I was indeed, bickering with my own subconscious. “You seem to know all the answers then, care to share?” _

_ “Since you’re playing dumb, I’ll just call it like I see it. You’re in denial, Shizuo.” _

“Of?”

“Hint number one; you aren’t actually as annoyed as you pretend to be on the outside. Hint number two; you don’t know how to convey your feelings any other way besides anger. And hint number three, you actually care about this person, but you’re too stubborn to admit it.”

_ I sat there silently listening to him lecture me. I didn’t have to  _ try _ to figure out who he was referring to. Something about what he said felt familiar, so I kind of  _ did  _ admit that these were things that I didn’t like to acknowledge. I chose the roundabout way when responding carefully, without actually confirming anything of what he said to be true. _

“So what am I supposed to do?”

“Well, for starters, you could admit to the things I listed above...But you don’t need to take all the credit. After all, you know that something isn’t sitting right with the other party here either...”

_ I listened more attentively now. _ “What do you mean?”

“You think  _ I’m _ -speaking for the real Izaya, that is-conniving, sadistic and attention seeking, right?”

“Well that’s obvious, because-”

“It’s true,”  _ we said in unison. _

_ It surprised me a little how quick he was to confirm my thoughts exactly. _

"He may be going about it the wrong way, but I think it’s a different kind of attention he’s looking for."

_I_ _snorted_. “And what would that be?”

"You piss me off."  _ He said suddenly, in a startlingly low voice. I turned to him, surprised at the immediate change of attitude, wondering what I could have possibly done wrong in the last, not even ten seconds? He looked back at me with a smile, less seriously and continued. _ "They were the first words you could think of right? Because you didn't know what else to say at the time?”

_ Ah, that was what he was referring to… _

“And now your relationship has built itself upon that statement, hasn’t it? As if from the very beginning it was to be set in stone that the two of you were to destined to be enemies.”  _ He gave me a thoughtful expression.  _ "But that's not what you wanted, was it? You regretted saying those words as soon as they left your lips. However, your reason for saying that was because you had been furious just moments before “I”,”  _ he made bunny ears around the word he was emphasizing _ , “entered your dismal life.”  _ He sat up resting his head on his shoulder to look down at me lazily with half-lidded eyes. “ _ And what a beautiful relationship it was that spawned from that.”

“I get it, you’re being sarcastic…”  _ I grumbled. “ _ What’s the point?”

“The point  _ is, _ Shizu-chan, that there’s a reason I harass you to no end,”  _ he sighed, as if he were stating the obvious.  _ “I antagonize you because there’s something about you that I just can’t stand, nor stay away from.”

_ My heart skipped a beat when he said that, but I had no idea why the sudden palpitation. What he had just told me was...strange to hear aloud yet, I got the feeling that slowly, the pieces of the puzzle were falling into place; like things were starting to make sense now. _

"You don't like me but you want to be closer to me? How does that even work,"  _ I feigned my incompetence to displace my new understanding. I didn't want to accept the potential reality. _

"Isn't it clear, that I-"

Before the conversation could delve any further into that note, I found myself being shaken awake.

"There he is!"

"Nn...Shinra?"

It took my eyes a second to focus when I heard my name. I soon recognized who the arm belonged to, currently gripping my shoulder, that had woken me from my slumber. His bright, silvery eyes and flamboyant grin were hovering above me, staring down at me in my makeshift couch. I figured that in the midst of my nap I had slouched over to take up the remaining space of the bench, more or less looking like a homeless person, accessorized by my gaudy blue jacket and my floppy beanie.

"We thought we'd lost you!"

“I’ve been here the whole time,” I said in an unamused, gruff voice.

"Well we were just heading in, thinking maybe you'd already gone inside. The sun is starting to set.”

Sure enough, when I looked over his shoulder, the passing clouds had a dazzling, reflective shade of orange beaming from behind them.

"It's almost 6:30,” Kadota said from behind him.

"Oh. Yeah..." I stretched my arms trying to loosen the muscles that had cramped from my awkward sleeping position.

"We can stop and grab a bite to eat," Shinra said. "How about take-out from that sushi bar on the way?"

We started making our way toward the west entrance of the resort where the restaurants were.

"Do you think Izaya wants anything?" Kadota asked on the other side of Shinra as we walked through the automatic, double glass doors. Warm air greeted us and the smell of fresh food made my mouth water.

"Flea's been here all damn day. If he wanted something he should have marched his scrawny ass down here earlier."

"Actually, Shizuo,” Shinra cleared his throat to speak up, “he texted me saying he wanted me to ask you to bring him some ootoro..."

I shot him a look of annoyance at the idea of the louse expecting me to wait on him hand and foot.

“He said ‘ _ pleeeease _ ~’.” The brunette pushed up his glasses and smiled inwardly to himself as if he was up to something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

We stopped to eat at the tiny shop attached to a large chain of restaurants. The sushi and sashimi was  prepared right in front of us like a traditional Japanese sushi bar, and the taste of the meal was heavenly. Shinra ended up convincing me to get an extra order of the stupid flea’s expensive, fatty tuna, that he would most definitely be paying me back for.

"'Lemme know if you wanna do somethin' later,” I turned towards my door on the opposite side of the hallway as we were about to part ways. “Don't leave me alone with him longer than I need to be..." I grumbled.

Shinra let out a whimsical note of laughter in response. "Okay, I'll text you,” he said as he entered his own room.

I unlocked my door, quietly stepping in in case the raven was in bed resting like he was supposed to be. One could have hoped that I would walk in to find my roommate fast asleep, but of course, I could only ever dream of having such good karma.

There he sat, leaning back on a pile of stacked pillows against the headboard, laptop at hand. He looked up at me, greeting me with a smile. Thankfully though, this time he was fully dressed.

"Welcome home, Honey~."

I groaned in disgust in return as I toed off my shoes. “That’s even worse than the other nickname.”

"Would you prefer, Sugar Daddy? You  _ did _ bring me dinner after all, didn't you?” he challenged, almost flirtatiously.

“Never call me that again,” I responded flatly.

“Whatever you say, Sweetie,” he pressed.

I muttered a curse under my breath as I dropped the brown, paper bag of food in his lap. He set aside his computer to peer inside.

“Ooooh~, you know my tastes so well, Shizu-chan, how disgustingly thoughtful of you...Thank you for the food,” he said wiping his hands on the damp towelette that came with his meal.

He broke apart the gratis set of chopsticks and took his first bite of the squishy, pink meat. It was more than gross when he moaned into the bite, as if that were really necessary to show his gratitude.

“Shinra told me,” I corrected him. “You’re lucky you got anything...And you’re definitely paying me back for that.”

“Hmm, how about instead, you get an ‘I owe you’? I’ll consider this as a payment forward for future business, ne?” he teased with a mouth full of food. He swallowed, “some things money can’t buy~.”

“I don’t even want to  _ know _ what you’re implying,” I said, shrugging off my coat to hang it up on a chair.

He chuckled to himself, propping his head on a hand. “You should have brought your dinner back too, it could have been a date,” he chided.

“That’s like, the last thing I would want to do.”

“How rude...” he said, pointing his chopsticks in my direction. “That attitude won’t get you  _ anywhere _ in the dating pool.”

“Who said I was looking?” I retorted as apathetically as I could muster.

He gave me an amused grin. “Oh that’s right, how silly of me. You’re not exactly  _ boyfriend _ material, are you, monster?”

“Why do you even care about stuff like that? It’s none of your business.”

“Why? Because your lack of personal affairs brings me maximal levels of contentment,” he sighed charismatically into his hand.

“You’re not exactly an  _ idea _ l partner either,” I scoffed.

“Oh, is that what you think? I beg to differ…” he drifted, looking down at his food with his signature smirk on his face.

He set his pair of chopsticks down to the side and reached for the bits of tuna with his hands instead. This wasn’t anything abnormal, in fact it’s completely acceptable to eat sushi both ways.  _ However _ , the way he slowly brought the generous amount of meat to his lips after dipping it in dish of soy sauce, his tongue swept under the raw fish before taking it in whole. His cheek was barely roomy enough to fit the large bite in his mouth and a small droplet of the salty, brown sauce dripped down his lower lip. When he had finally swallowed, he licked his lips free from the condiment, also bringing his hand to his mouth again to lavish his tongue around whatever could have possibly dirtied those long, slender fingers of his.

I hadn’t noticed just how intense his gaze was as he watched me watch him eating so provocatively. Sure it was just food, but I was sure he had made it out to be more of a different kind of ‘oral presentation’ in response than it had really needed to be.

My eyes snapped back to his ruby stare that glistened mischievously back at me. I swallowed dryly, feeling heat rise to my cheeks as well as a likewise sensation somewhere else.

“Not that it matters though, since I love all humans equally. I can’t pick just one~.”

My mind had completely blanked from our previous conversation, but it was his teasing lilt that cued me to respond.

“That’s exactly why no one can put up with you and that weird fetish.”

He frowned as if he were mildly insulted either from the miscensuring comment or from ignoring his little show. “Don't correlate my proportionate love for humanity with other people's erotic fixations, Shizu-chan. I almost feel sorry that you can’t comprehend my complexity. Almost.”

“The only 'complex' there is, is that freaky obsession with people you have...There’s a word for guys like you.”

“I’m not a sociopath, if that's what you're suggesting,” he chuckled in disbelief. 

I was done with this conversation, due to the fact that I  _ knew _ we would only talk in circles. “Say whatever you want, but I’m going to take a shower,” I called as I finished gathering a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. “It better not smell like your  _ aromathera-whatever _ in there.”

He rolled his eyes. “I should pour the oil into your nasal cavities in your sleep. You’re almost worth the trouble...”

I rolled my eyes back as I closed the door behind me.

Once I had stripped, I didn’t bother before checking how hot the temperature was when I stepped under the water. I didn’t care when I felt the piping rain of the steamy shower ease my tense muscles as it cascaded down my back.

_ Little bastard has it coming one of these days… _

I scrubbed my scalp thoroughly to rid myself of the hat-hair I had kept hidden under my beanie all day. The smell of my coconut scented shampoo was  _ much _ better than that weird concoction from the story the flea had made up earlier. True or not, if I were ever exposed to that smell again, the lesser evil would be that it'd be in another unconscious fantasy. I wanted to keep my hallucinations of the flea as far from the real one as possible.

Still, the coiling feeling in my stomach from the flea’s teasing performance left me feeling the same way I had felt whenever I  entered my nightmares, that is, when I first started having them. It was disturbingly, similarly seductive and the testing innuendo didn’t sit right with me at all.  _ Mentally,  _ that is; my body had grown used to giving into the visual stimulation whenever the damn parasite did something provocative like that.

I sighed as I leaned into the cold, glass, tile wall for support. I was past the point of feeling shameful now, whenever I felt slightly turned on by Izaya doing filthy, flea-like things. I supposed the hot water wasn’t helping, seeing as the heat clung almost suffocatingly tight to my flesh. I turned it down some to a more moderate temperature, despite how my muscles still craved the sweltering warmth to relax them. Still, to no avail, my rousing predicament was just as stubborn to go away as the individual who caused it. I guessed that this was also more or less brought on from the lack of privacy the past week.

As I thought irritably to myself, I reached down to the little bottle of accommodation body wash that the resort provided in each bathroom. Izaya had taken away my Irish spring scented shower gel because it made him nauseous and that he would ‘rather suffer from food poisoning, than ever again smell that foul excuse of a body cleanser’, and insisted I use the free samples that the staff replenished after each cleaning service.

I popped the lid open to the small vial-seriously, I thought they’d be much bigger portions, considering how loaded this hotel was-and poured a generous amount onto my hand. They must have changed the packaging from the last time they had replaced the old ones, because I didn’t remember the bottle being brown. I shrugged it off, however, as I poured more into my hand, careful not to use the entire bottle. I really missed having my own products because I felt that I had to be more conscious of how much I used of the little containers. Though, it’s not like there wasn’t an endless supply anyway.

Seriously, if he was gonna take away my stuff, I was sure as hell gonna forbid him from that nasty-

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden overwhelming waft of mint. It hit my nostrils and stung my eyes as soon as the remnants of the bottle came in contact with my skin. It was hard to breathe through the sharp flavor, and I felt my eyes watering at tingling air as I quickly tried to wash off the pungent liquid. To my surprise it was also more oily than I had remembered and couldn’t rid the substance with just water. I eventually scrubbed it off with some shampoo and that only helped a little, before I picked up the miniature bottle again and read the label.

_ ‘Flattery medicine’?”  _ I read the kanji aloud, not sure if I was even reading it right. “The fuck  _ is  _ this shit?”*

I cut the water off almost immediately and didn’t bother drying my hair or putting on a shirt once I had slipped a pair of sweatpants on.

“Izaya, what the  _ fuck _ is this?” I shouted, storming into the room.

His head snapped up from his laptop, startled at my sudden burst of anger, eyes blinking a few times to look up at me. He couldn’t even try to hide it when they widened as his gaze swept to the object in my right hand as I held it up for him to see.

“What the hell is ‘flattery medicine’, huh?”

He was silent for a few moments before he responded. I wasn’t sure if he was still bewildered by my abruptness or if he was calculating his answer.

“What?” was the only response he could surprisingly muster.

“It says something about medicine on here...Is this yours? ‘Cause it sure  _ sounds _ like it’s something you would own.”

He looked at it again and then at me. “You’re reading it wrong, moron.” I could tell he was blatantly avoiding the question.

“So it  _ is  _ yours?”

The raven swallowed as he thought of what to say next.

“I won’t deny that it belongs to me-”

“I thought this was shower gel. I used it and it smells terrible,” I snapped.

“You  _ used _ that?!” his jaw dropped as if he were at a loss for words.

“Yeah, I did, and it’s gross. Why do you even  _ have  _ this. It doesn’t even work!”

“That’s because it’s not even-!” He cut himself off before he could finish his statement, which made me even more suspicious.

“Not even what?”

The flea said nothing, he just looked at me in disbelief. That’s when it clicked.

“...This is your aroma-”

“Give it back, Shizu-chan.”

“Why the hell does it say-”

“Give. It. Back.” He was completely serious now, reaching up to snatch the object out of my hand.

“Tell me what it says first,” I demanded, holding it out of his reach. “If I’m so wrong, then correct me.”

“Why do you want to know? You already figured out that it isn’t body wash, what more do you possibly need?”

I crossed my arms to look down at him with a raised brow. He was trying to hide something from me, that much was obvious, and I wanted to figure it out what it was before he tried anything funny.

“Call me curious.”

He set his laptop down on the empty side of the bed and stood up to face me. The height difference between us made him less intimidating, not to mention his face had more of a pink pigment to it.

“Didn’t anyone ever tell you that it’s rude to take other people’s things?” he asked evasively.

“Is it really that big of a deal that you can’t tell me?”

“No. I just don’t want to,” he said simply, taking a step closer.

“That’s a pretty lame ass excuse,” I responded flatly, taking a step back.

“Just-...Give it back... _ Please.”  _ He continued to move closer to me, but with each step I reclined.

I actually considered it since it was rare of him to use manners unless he  _ really _ wanted something, but it didn’t quite work on me. I held it above his head as I read the ingredients aloud;

“‘Flattery medicine...Mint extract...Stimulant?’” A question mark hung onto the word at my confusion as I stood stupefied at just, “what the hell is this  _ used _ for-”

The back of my knees hit the bed behind me, buckling and causing me to fall back onto the soft landing of the sheets. There was no hesitating when the raven took it upon himself to straddle me, forcefully taking the vile out of my grasp.

It took less than a second for me to register that the only thing separating my dick from the flea’s ass was the loose-fitting fabrics of each of our sweatpants. What didn’t help, was the fact that I felt just how comfortably he sat with his legs spread around my hips. I could feel the crease of his-

"Off. Now." I demanded, not letting myself take any further mental note of the situation. Considering how things were less than five minutes ago in the shower, the last thing I needed was for any friction down near my pelvic area.

He quirked his brow in interest, reading the situation completely. “Oh, and might I ask just how much of this you used and where? I’m not moving until you answer me.”

I didn’t want to risk moving him myself because any amount of physical protest he could potentially respond with would not end well for me. Ever since I got a whiff of that stuff I felt even more sensitive to the touch. It was all I could do to remain still under his centered weight.

“I poured a handful of it and as soon as I rubbed it on my chest, I-”

His mouth gaped once again at my response as if I had just committed the ultimate sin. It made me even more nervous as to  _ what the hell it was it used for?! _

“You-” He broke into a fit of laughter, leaving me significantly more dumbfounded than I had already been before. He continued to laugh obnoxiously at a joke I wasn’t in on, holding desperately onto his sides as they convulsed. When he finally came to, he dramatically wiped the tears from his eyes. “Fine, I’ll tell you, but only because I feel sorry for you,” he sighed, looking down at me, pretending to be empathetic. “I’ll cut to the chase, but mint can be used as a stimulant and  _ aphrodisiac _ , which is the word you were misreading.”

I still didn’t quite comprehend, so he continued.

“Aphrodisiacs are agents that arouse sexual desire, and you- _ pfft _ -!” Another laughing fit ensued, but now I knew why.

“It does  _ what?!” _ I spat in disbelief.

The raven calmed down enough to answer my question with another unwanted fact. “You’re probably going to be extremely horny for the next few hours,” he chuckled, smiling condescendingly down at me.

I flushed darkly as soon as the words left his lips, and things started to make sense.

“You’re only supposed to use like, a couple drops and you-you-”

“Shut  _ up _ with your laughing dammit!” I finally gave in and shoved him to the side. “Why the hell do you have that shit?!” I didn’t even want to  _ ask  _ why the entire room stank like this this afternoon.

He stopped suddenly, straightening up on the bed next to me. “You know, it’s not abnormal for a male in his late teen years to-”

“ _ Don’t _ finish that thought. Ya know what, forget I asked. That’s something I really don’t wanna think about.” I drew my legs subconsciously towards me as I sat next to the other man bashfully.

I didn’t have to look at him to hear the smirk behind his words, “of course, who knows what kinds of dirty things your animalistic brain will come up with after huffing this stuff,” he chided, admiring the bottle in the light.

“I didn’t  _ mean _ to,” I protested. You’re so-”

“Repulsive? Disturbing?...No, I’m realistic. But hey, if you’re too embarrassed to be around me, you can always go lock yourself in the bathroom and get it out of your system with the water running, ne? I won’t judge, even if I hear you~,” he snickered. “Maybe if I’m lucky you’ll be in there so long you drown too.”

I shot him an annoyed glance and he simply shrugged. “I’m not going to go jerk off in the shower while  _ you’re  _ here.”

“Well, then have fun dealing with that,” he said gesturing to my lap.

My body tensed as I looked down quickly to check if I had been hard all this time, but thankfully the louse was just messing with me...for now, at least. Either way, I still felt my cheeks redden.

“I’ll be fine,” I said, mostly to reassure myself. “Thanks for your concern though,” I frowned apathetically.

“Whatever you say~, don’t tell me later that I didn’t warn you,” he snickered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: The kanji for aphrodisiac is 'flattery' and 'medicine' combined. I figured I'd have Shizuo struggle with reading that because when would he have ever heard of the word 'aphrodisiac' anyway? More things for Izaya to tease him about~  
> Thank you all again for reading and for all the lovely comments! Look for another update next week!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to jinx it, but I think Sunday's are going to be the days that I update, since I've been pretty consistent about it for the past few weeks. It also works best with my schedule too, so I'm going to try to make my deadlines at the end of every weekend!  
> This is the /third/ chapter in a row to be in Shizuo's pov (sorry if you guys are getting antsy by the lack of change), but it switches briiefly at the end to Izaya's...and I actually think the next one will be in Shizuo's pov as well, so I apologize in advance that you will have to wait again... >_> There's just a lot going on for him right now, lol. But there are a lot more Izaya chapters to come~ ;)  
> Anyway, enjoy the update!

_ Shizuo _

 

I heaved a sigh, willing myself off the bed to sluggishly return to the bathroom.

“Antsy are we? Or have you finally decided to go masterbate?” the louse sneered from his bed as he continued typing on his laptop.

“Would you  _ stop _ saying that? No, I’m going to brush my teeth and go to sleep.”

I heard him click his tongue in disapproval. “Where’s the fun in that? It’s only half past eight.”

I turned to look back at him and he watched me carefully, holding my gaze. His expression changed into something more playful. “I know! Why don’t you and I spend some quality bonding time watching a movie together, ne? That can help take your mind off things.”

I quirked a brow at the inquisition, not sure if he genuinely cared one way or the other if I stayed up with him. I decided he probably just wanted to see how far he could push my buttons tonight.

“Come now, Shizu-chan, don’t give me that look,” he tisked, canting his head to the side. “I wasted precious moments of my life napping the entire day away because of you, and quite frankly, I’m insulted that you would ensue further unnecessary boredom upon me. The least you can do is entertain me now that you have returned and I’m awake.”

“Look, first of all, you don’t sound convincing by telling me that you napped. And if you did, good for fucking you. Second, I’m not your babysitter, so don’t look to me to be your personal source of amusement just because you can’t find anything better to do.”

He rolled his eyes as if he didn’t need lecturing from the likes of me. “You’re missing the point. I don’t need your listlessness bringing _ me  _ down with you. I’m simply trying to find a happy middle; all you have to do is sit through a movie or something.”

I let out a heavy sigh again, running a hand through my damp hair. “ _ Fine _ . But don’t try anything funny,” I warned.

The feeling of a small victory could be seen on the raven’s expression as he stood up to follow me into the bathroom as I started to brush my teeth.

“Why are you here?” I mumbled with the obstruction between my jaws as I watched him hop up on the granite counter in front of me.

He shrugged apathetically and watched me as I awkwardly started to brush. He kept an observant eye on me as he slid over the glossy surface of the counter until he was perched directly in front of me. I was receptively more uncomfortable as his eyes darted all around my face, as if he were trying to take in every minute detail. I almost felt self conscious.

His gaze stopped at the top of my head and he smirked silently, reaching a hand out to mimic the same motion of running it through my hair. To my own surprise I didn't flinch or back away as I tentatively let him continue. He didn’t seem dangerous, at least for the moment, judging by the now softened smile, as he stroked through my fringe. I found myself wondering curiously what could have possibly be going through his mind right then.

"Sometimes I forget you're a natural brunette." His voice was gentle, almost compassionate, as he spoke with his eyes fixed on my hair. "You'll need a retouch soon,” he continued as he ran his nails along my scalp soothingly. “Your roots are growing in.”

I was expecting a snide comment about it, but it never came. Instead, he leaned into me before I had a chance to move or back away, and rested his chin against my forehead. I heard him take a deep breath in through his nose.

“Mmm,” he sighed, exhaling a sound of approval. “This smell is  _ much _ more delightful than that gaudy body wash you were using before,” he whispered in a thick, low voice. “I’m surprised though. Surely I thought you would prefer a fruity-scented shampoo." He chuckled, and the hand that was now holding onto the back of my head tightened it's grip, pushing me harder against his chin. His thumb began to circle around in my hair as he continued to thoroughly inhale the tropical fragrant. “Coconut strangely suits you,” he teased in another velvety tone.

I was so close to the flea's chest that I could hear his faint heartbeat layered under the fragility of his ribcage and flesh. It's pace was normal, though, mine certainly was not. The close proximity along with his touch was putting me off guard. However, I found myself unable to push him away. Even if I wanted to, my body had turned to stone.

He was close enough that I could smell the hint ginger on him from his meal, after his sushi. I felt the heat of his breath draw nearer against my forehead, and it wasn’t until after the moment had passed, had I felt two, soft lips slowly place themselves against my warm skin. His hand gave one final squeeze of my hair before he distanced our faces to look at me thoughtfully. His hand brushed the bangs out of of my eyes and caressed it's fingers down my cheek to my chin.

I let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding, at the very least, having enough control of myself to stop the shudder that threatened to run down my spine. However, I felt my stomach flipping as I was still lost in the moment. I hadn't noticed that all the while I had stopped brushing, but as soon as I came to the realization, I started again more vigorously, averting my gaze.

The raven hopped off the ledge of where he had been sitting and walked behind me. His fingers grazed the muscles across the width of my bare back and shoulders as he exited the room. When he was finally out of the way, I met my gaze in the mirror, not at all surprised at the sudden redness that flushed my cheeks. My heart beat rapidly at the odd sensation that had built up inside me, and when I was sure he was gone, I slowed down my aggressive brushing no longer able to look at the man staring back at me.

When I finished, I pulled on the clean shirt that was still neatly folded on the shelf where I had left it from my shower. I exited the bathroom only to find the flea sprawled out on the couch-that was more of a love seat, to be honest-with a remote in one hand, looking up at me with what I hardly ever saw to be an innocent smile. I didn’t know just what I was in for when I took a seat next to him after he got up from his laying position. I distanced myself enough to have breathing room between us, hoping that he would respect the space.

"Anything in particular you’re in the mood for?" he asked, without any hint of suspicion.

"Doesn't matter," I answered automatically, staring straight ahead at the screen as he continued to surf through different channels.

We finally settled on some kind of Japanese subbed thriller movie that had originally been an American flick. When I said it didn’t matter what we watched, I really did mean it. However, I think the flea took that as an opportunity to choose the most graphic movie he could possibly find on demand. I hadn't expected to find myself sitting with my ex-arch-nemesis watching a foreign film about a man who ate people as a pastime.

Why Izaya thought it was entertaining? I couldn't tell you. There were a lot of things I couldn’t and also didn’t  _ want _ to understand about the flea. All that I needed to know was that the louse wasn’t right in the head, and that was that.

"Aren't humans just _ FASCINATING _ , Shizu-chan!" he exclaimed excitedly, as another man on the screen was being skinned alive. He was screaming in agony as the shaved skin fell to the floor with a solid  _ splat _ .

"Do people like this actually  _ exist _ ?" I cringed, more than a little disturbed as I watched the flesh of the character’s face peeling off as easily as one could manage with a vegetable. I blame myself for actually investing interest in the movie. These weren’t the images I should be showing myself at eleven o’clock at night.

"But of course! Clearly you don’t keep up with any worldwide news articles or media... _ Or _ read a textbook for that matter,” he countered, mockingly. “People all over the world are doing astonishing, inhumane things like this every day,” he said gesturing to the screen. “Don’t let yourself be so ignorant to other cultures and history,” he scolded.

“The fuck kinds of cultures are those?! This is exactly the kind of shit I  _ want _ to stay in the dark about. How can you say stuff like that so cheerfully when you claim that these things are  _ still _ happening in this day and age? Don’t you even feel like that’s just a  _ little _ more than fucked up?” I retorted in disbelief.

“To each their own, as they say,” he sighed nonchalantly. “It’s not like it affects me one way or the other. So what if there are cannibals living among us? Quite frankly, I’m sure there are several in the neighborhood back home…” he drifted the thought into what sounded like an amused tone. “You never know~.” It was as if he was purposely trying to create those unnecessary worries for me.

“If that’s true,” I responded, solely to entertain the idea, “it wouldn’t surprise me if Shinra knew someone like that. ‘Specially in his father’s line of business.”

The man next to me let out a whimsical laugh. “You know, maybe I was wrong about your sense of humor. You certainly are full of surprises, Shizu-chan,” he smiled, leaning against the back of the couch to look at me.

I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride warm my chest. This was maybe one of a handful of times the flea had actually complimented me and meant it. If you could even count it as that, that is.

“Yeah well...I’m just sayin’...” I mumbled silently turning my attention back to the screen.

It was hard to stay focused on the movie when I knew the louse was still watching me from the corner of his eye.

At least he had been right about one thing. My mind  _ had  _ been sidetracked from the few times I felt myself shift uncomfortably whenever the strong scent of mint wafted from under my shirt. I was hyper aware that whenever I remembered how sensitive my nervous system was being, I always thought the flea knew it too. Not that he mentioned it of course, when I sunk down further into the cushions of the couch.

The movie went on, and we were totally absorbed in the film. When it was over, the sequel was playing right after. By that time though, I felt myself starting to nod off. It wasn’t like I had been inside sleeping all day, so unlike the Izaya, I was exhausted. I don’t know how many times I had fallen asleep only to come to for a few moments before my eyes would protest against the bright lights of the flashing screen and close themselves again. I also hadn't noticed the flea had closed the space between us until his shoulder brushed mine. Or maybe I had slowly leaned too far to the side to where I was putting a large part of my bodyweight against him. 

When I felt the contact I didn’t move away, not wanting to disturb the quiet between us. I figured if I stayed still enough he would think I was asleep. From what coherency I had, he let me stay like that for a while, but after a few minutes I felt him wrap an arm behind me. I couldn’t help it when my body tensed, and I knew he felt it because he snickered softly under his breath. He weaved his fingers through my hair once again, slowly brushing through what tangles had decided to unreasonably form within the last hour as I had left my hair air dry. Why did hair even do that anyway?

After feeling lost in his touch for what seemed like ten minutes-though it was probably a matter of seconds-I slowly, sank into his side, allowing most of my weight to depend on him to keep us both sitting up as I continued to lean into him. Not gonna lie, it felt pretty damn good when the blunts of his nails raked across my sensitive skin. He didn't seem phased when I slouched down to his level allowing him a more comfortable access to my hair. As sad as it was, I felt like some kind of animal. No wonder dogs and cats liked being pet so much. I had never had anyone approach me this closely to be this... _ affectionate. _ My heart raced at the realization that this was probably the most intimate I had ever been with another human being, and for the love of all that was holy, it had to be him.

He continued his ministrations, slowly dragging his long, thin, perfectly manicured fingers along my scalp, occasionally giving a slight tug on little tufts of hair before returning to scratch my head. I gave in and relaxed fully into him, not caring when I heard him quickly inhale as he was pushed into the couch with me. I was on the edge of passing out and I blamed him for making it so damn easy.

 

* * *

 

 

_ Izaya _

 

I had tested my theory in the bathroom. I was curious to know more about just how far I could push our overcoming limits to physical boundaries. Now that we had established a groundbreaking truce as allies, I hypothesized that there were more liberties to be unlocked than merely speaking to each other in a civil manner. Little did I know, all it would take were a few minor experiments between my taunts and crude comments to slowly vanquish the surrender of the blonde’s hostile tendencies towards skin to skin contact. Likewise, I found myself drawn more dangerously to testing how easily I could provoke Shizuo from being extremely irritable to fully flustered solely based on effortless teasing. It was child’s play. But recently, words weren’t doing nearly enough damage, in my opinion. Those kinds of reactions were almost  _ too _ predictable. Yet, I hadn’t realized until now, just how thrilling it would be to break Shizuo’s composure in other ways, granted this new access.

Each time he moved closer I felt like I was taming a wild animal. You had to be cautious and let them sniff your hand first, before you could pet them. Then, once they’ve grown used to you, you can eventually make them obey you upon command. Afterall, animals could certainly be loyal, little things.

But then there was my current position; being squashed between the stiff arm rest of the couch and the suffocating heaviness of the very brute himself. He was practically laying on top of me at this point, and I had no way of knowing just how  _ soon _ I was going to get out of my situation.

I sighed, huffing my bangs away from my eyes as I turned my attention back to the rolling credits of the movie. The remote was still in a barely reachable distance, and it took all the will of extending my fingertips to their max to finally pull the device towards me. I figured for the time being I could find something else to watch while the brute was asleep. Maybe, if I was lucky, he would roll over and fall off the couch altogether.

I flipped apathetically through the channels, eventually stopping on some cooking infomercial. After about five minutes, I learned about all the possibilities one could create with this new, second generation, high-tech crockpot. ‘ _ All for a reasonably low price~ _ ,’ I thought sarcastically to myself.

Unlike most people though, I didn’t seem to mind infomercials. In fact, I kind of liked them. What  _ wasn’t _ to like about the bits of footage they showed of people failing miserably at everyday things in comparison to how all of these habits could improve through the roof, with an astonishing new invention? But that wasn’t even the best part. The  _ best _ part was how the host will consistently lie to the audience to sell the item, and the public would hilariously believe how all of these ‘ _ as seen on TV’ _ products really work. They would make up some skyrocketing number on how it’s made the world of a difference in the lives of so many fortunate families, and how necessary it is for you to have in your own home as well.

I was lost in thought when I heard the sound of the door opening from across the room.

"Hey, Kadota had his old room key, and since neither of you were answering your phones, we thought something might have- _ oh! _ " The nosy quack stopped in his tracks upon entering the threshold of the room when he saw the sight before him. "I uh..."

"Hello, Shinra." I smiled pleasantly back at him but venom laced my too-polite composure. "What can I do for you this evening?"

I could tell he was still taking in the situation by how his mouth hung open as he stared back at me where I was sandwiched between cushions and Shizuo’s deadweight body, still petting him like the overgrown housepet he was. I felt like one of those mobsters with their grumpy cats on their laps, only mine was a bit more vicious and significantly more grumpy.

If our current situation were to be animated, he would have visible beads of sweat rolling down his face by now. "I texted you...I thought maybe we could-but since you're uh,  _ preoccupied, _ I think I'll just go back to my-"

"I think it's best if you leave that extra key here, ne? Wouldn't want you walking in if we were  _ really _ preoccupied, now would we?" My friendly tone didn't falter when my eyes narrowed.

"Haha, oh, well now,” he chuckled as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck, averting my gaze. “That’s something I  _ really _ do not want to think about. I'll just leave this right here..." he set down the card on the kitchen table and turned on his heel toward the direction of the door.

"Oh, and Shinra?"

He froze in his tracks, slowly turning to look behind him to hold my gaze. "Yes, Izaya?" he asked frivolously, but I could sense the underlying nervousness of his aura.

"Let's keep him in the dark about this little chat we had, hmm?"

"That’s probably for the best,” he called, scampering towards the door. “Goodnight, Izaya, don’t let Shizuo bite~,” he cooed testingly, as if he couldn’t shut the door fast enough behind him.

I clicked my tongue at the nerve that man sometimes had, but I let it slide for tonight. I knew too many things about the other that I could blackmail him with at the touch of a button, but he thought he held some kind of significance over my usual victims. I smiled inwardly to myself, thinking about how easily friendships were taken for granted. How it took so much time and investment to build trusts with people and relationships, but betrayal was almost instant. Something about having that power at my fingertips raised my confidence again, and I tossed the idea of getting back at Shinra aside for now.

About the same time, Shizuo moved a little restlessly in his slumber, and that was the last damn thing I needed right now. The blonde could freely have  _ those _ kinds of dreams, but not while he was on top of me.

Somewhere in the midst of him turning over, I was able to slip out from under him. I stood up and looked down at the man sprawled on the couch, completely unconscious. I scrutinized just how relaxed his expression was and how even he was breathing. It made me uncomfortable and fidgety just to look at. Finally, after a few minutes of watching his uneventful sleeping, I was getting tired of seeing him so...normal. I let out a sigh as I walked over to his bed and pulled off the top layer of the stacked blankets. I tossed the white comforter over him, covering the face of the man who had never had such a right being as calm as he was now.

“Stop pretending you’re human, protozoan…” I mumbled to myself as I crawled into my own bed alone, for the first time in days.

I laid awake listening to Shizuo’s lack of snoring, listing off reasons why he was so annoying to help me fall asleep. After some tossing and turning, at some point I lost count, and eventually fell into a deep slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked all the flirting in this chapter! The next one Izaya pushes things with Shizuo just a liiiiittle bit further B)  
> Until then, thank you for reading and I love reading all of your wonderful, encouraging comments <3


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I'm back with another update! This is the last sequential chapter in Shizuo's pov. The next one will finally be in Izaya's so look forward to that! This chapter has a little bit of fanservice in it, so enjoy~
> 
> Also to answer a question asked about having any other stories planned, the answer is YES. GOD YES I DO.  
> There is a story I have been planning for 2 years that I keep pushing back because I am determined to finish this one. My reason being, I want to make sure I am putting my all into Love Like Winter before moving onto something else. Because let me tell you. My next story will be LONG. Tbh, this has been an experiment for me to grow as a writer before I am to make what I think will probably be my legacy lol. My next story will not be anything like this one. Honestly, I'm not entirely a fluffy person myself. I usually prefer angst and horror/psychological thrillers, which will exactly be what my next story is about! So enjoy the rainbows and flowers and fluff now before things take a turn for the worst in my next piece, haha. >->

 

_ Shizuo _

"Mmmnnh..."

Something was off. I was in that twilight phase of the morning where I was semi-coherent enough to be considered awake, but not by choice. I could already tell something was strange about the start of the day, and I groaned, slowly opening one of my groggy eyes to see how I would be disappointed this time.

The fuzzy view before me was familiar, but not what I had been used to seeing when I normally woke up. I had established mentally, that this was indeed the hotel room I had been living in the past, what, almost two weeks now? But I was looking up at the ceiling from a different angle. Judging by the discomfort of my shoulder and neck I slowly came to the conclusion:

_ Did I fall asleep...on the couch? _

I looked up and sure enough, the black, leather armrest had been my pillow for the night. It only made sense after remembering what I could from the previous evening. The flea and I had stayed up watching a movie…

I felt something shrug off my side as my foot began to stir in a stretch. A blanket was covering me.

_ Guess this was Izaya's doing... _

I used the the arm I had been sleeping awkwardly on as leverage to heave myself up, but felt a sharp pain shoot through my left shoulder.

"Ah, fuck-!"

"Nnngh...Good morning to you too." I heard a yawn come from Izaya's bed as he turned to face me. "Sleep well, Princess?"

"I hadn't realized how uncomfortable I was until I woke up. 'Slept on my arm wrong, I think." I got up slowly, avoiding the use of my left side.

"How unfortunate...I slept just fine~," he said, sitting up to stretch as he looked at me grinning. I could see bags under his eyes though, so I doubted he slept as well as he had claimed.

"Good for you," I responded flatly, not bothering to point it out. "Why didn't you wake me up or something?"

He chuckled condescendingly. "Oh, don't think I didn't try...You sleep like a beached manatee or something. You’re certainly heavy enough to be one."

"A beached...what?"

He looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "Do you even  _ pay _ attention in biology?"

I attempted a shrug, but felt a jab in my shoulder again and winced. “‘Sides, I’m only like 65 kilos. I’m not  _ that _ heavy.”

Izaya just rolled his eyes. "You're hopeless, that’s what you are.” He flipped his covers off and started walking towards the bathroom. "Wait there."

There was not much else  _ to  _ do, so I did as I was told, procrastinating movement for as long as I could to make the pain simmer. From the bathroom, I could hear him rummaging around looking for something. He appeared shortly after, sauntering back towards me.

"This will help, but you have to behave," he said pointedly.

I cocked an eyebrow as I watched him step up onto and take a seat on the back of the couch, positioning himself behind me with a leg on either side. I tried moving from sitting awkwardly between him but he grabbed me by my sore shoulder to pull me back. Pain sliced through my muscle, causing me to contort back into his grasp.

"The fuck?!"

"Calm down," he sighed in an agitated tone as he loosened his grip. "Lift up your right arm."

Still mad about the previous abuse, I obliged cautiously, not sure exactly what I was in for.

"Hey-!"

It caught me off guard when his hand grabbed the side of my shirt and pulled it swiftly over my raised arm and over my head. It dropped past my left shoulder, still hanging around my bicep.

"I said behave." He thumped me on the back of the head, and I felt his smirk burn through my skull. "Now relax," he commanded.

A new flavorful scent hit me as soon as I felt Izaya's thumb kneaded away at the pain's origin. I grimaced at first contact, but soon after felt the pressure as a relief. It was painful, yes, but the knot was subsiding under his fingertips. I sighed into his hand, relaxing, as I was told to do.

"What's that smell?" I asked after an appropriate time lapse, not to hint that I liked his actions.

"It's rosemary, a type of muscle relaxer." A long enough moment passed before he commented in a different tone. "Do you like it?"

I knew he didn't just mean if I liked the smell either, which was actually kind of pleasant  _ this _ time around. His hands were surprisingly strong as he worked the tension out from between my shoulder blades. I couldn't help but get drunk off the sweet smell and the steady stimulation of his skilled finger tips. I simply grunted, not wanting to admit to anything.

He chuckled and proceeded his ministrations on both shoulders, slowly pressing and pulling at the nerves in my upper back, occasionally creeping his fingers up to my neck and into my hairline. The rhythm was methodic, and enough to make me want to fall back asleep. The tension in my shoulder was long gone, but those meticulous hands continued to work my entire posterior. I shifted awkwardly as his thumbs dug into my lower back, just above the hem of my sweatpants, but embarrassingly enough, it felt too good to break the contact. Instead I think I accidently leaned closer to him to increase the pressure.

The raven snickered again; his voice coming from right behind my ear. "Are you enjoying yourself?"

"I'd enjoy it more if you'd shut up."

He let out some kind of hum in approval. "But my voice is relaxing, ne?" His voice had backed off now, trailing further behind me.

I felt something soft and warm that certainly  _ weren’t  _ fingers place themselves on the tender spot that had had been the cause of this whole ordeal. His hands shifted at my waist, sliding slowly along the surface to wrap around, but not quite interlock. The thin edges of his nails traced lazy, abstract shapes below my ribs, causing me to tense. He found that amusing.

"It seems that your impeccable reputation exceeds you..." His gentle scratching continued on my tensed abdominal muscles. "Building yourself up just to take me down, ne?" His low voice made my skin crawl as he poked the firmness of my abs. "I wonder...What does pain feel like to you, Shizu-chan? Do you really feel pain? Or is it perhaps...pleasure?" I felt his nails dig deep into my dermis and drag along my torso.

We both froze when a low, airy noise seeped through my lips.

_...Did I just...?! Fuck. _

"Mmm~, so the gentleman obtains pleasure~," he snickered, gently caressing the site of attempted detriment. "Duly noted."

"Fuckin' sadist," I growled under my breath.

He heard me of course, and chuckled darkly. "That makes you a masochist, you know~."

I turned my head immediately back to him. "I'm not a-!"

He clawed me again and my breath hitched. He was looking right at me with dark lashes half-lidded over his smoldering eyes. I felt myself wanting to squirm away from the hold I knew I could easily break. It was too damn early for this kind of physical interaction, I thought, as I felt as if my morning wood might return again.

"Not a...? Go ahead Shizu-chan,” his crimson eyes were full of mischief as he damn near purred at too close a range. " _ Use your words _ .”

I clinched my fists so hard my knuckles cracked.

_ This isn't the time to get a fucking boner, you idiot! _ I scolded myself.

Though I wasn't even half aroused, it wouldn't take long by the way things were going.

_ But it's.. _ .HIM _!?  _ I argued myself. At this point, though, I didn't know if that took away from or furthered the cause. Izaya was Izaya, but he could also be  _ Izaya _ ...

A knock on the door interrupted whatever had just been going on.

An irritated sigh sounded behind me and his hands dropped from around my sides.

The knock came again.

Put off by the now awkwardness of being disturbed from our little moment, combined with mixed feelings of relief and my own annoyance, I got up from the couch.

The knocking continued.

Whoever was outside was fucking persistent, that was for sure.  _ If they knocked one more time... _

I opened the door. "Oi, the fuck do you- Oh."

I looked down at the cheerful, hazel eyes staring up at me.

"Mornin' Erika." I shrugged, relaxing my death grip on the door handle.

"Shizu- _ oh my! _ " She brought a hand up to her lips to attempt to hold back a giggle. "I didn't mean to intrude-" She didn't even  _ try _ to hide the fact that her eyes were zeroed in on my stomach.

"What are you...? Oh-fuck!" I looked down at the bright red welts that marked my torso; tiny beads of blood bubbled in their centers. I quickly wrapped an arm around myself to hide the scratches, averting my gaze.

"I never...imagined you'd be...a masochist...Shizuo!" She said in between her giggling fits.

I let out an extremely irritated sigh, "I'm not a damn-!"

"He  _ really _ is~." Izaya's proud, matter-of-factually voice sounded from the couch behind us.

The door opened more as I turned to face him, eyes blazing. "No one fucking asked you!"

"Oh! Good morning Iza-Iza!" Erika stuck her head through the door.

"Morning~," he waved happily from his perch.

_ Deep breaths, Shizuo, deep breaths... _

I exhaled slowly as I turned back to the brunette who stepped out of the way. "Is there something you wanted, Erika?" I said in my very calmest possible tone.

"I just wanted to inform you of this morning's activities...I would tell you to come down to breakfast ASAP, but I think the others will understa-"

I stiffened at the word ‘ _ others’ _ and cut her off: "We'll be down in five minutes." I closed and locked the door before she was able finish her sentence.

I didn't need to see him to know he was grinning like fucking kid on Christmas, as if he'd just gotten exactly what he wanted.

"That...was hilarious."

I felt my brow twitch at his voice and I turned to face him slowly.

He was leaning back in his seat with his arms crossed behind his head and a smug look on his face. He always acted cocky when he did things he knew would piss me off, and that look, along with the contentment that came with it, had ignited my anger since the day we met...However, admittedly, I had recently perceived it more as a mere irritation.

"This,” I began, “is the third _ fucking _ time you've done this shit," I said, as I pinched the bridge of my nose. I guess I should have known going from completely relaxed to angry in seconds would bring on a headache.

"Done what, exactly?" He smiled, pretending to be oblivious to what I'd just gone through. Of course it didn’t matter to him.

"Do you not think that _ enforcing _ her already made up fantasies are going to make her stop? And now she's going to tell them about...this?!" I gestured to my stomach.

He hopped down from the back of the couch gracefully, and was light on his feet as he waltzed toward me.

"Oh? And what exactly are you going to do about it?...'She knows too much, we'll have to get rid of her'?" He said sarcastically with a low chuckle. "Silly Shizu-chan, don't be so uptight." He rested his hand on my chest gently pressing me back further until I felt a wall behind me. "What did I tell you about relaxing?" His thick, long eyelashes and half-lidded eyes were lazily looking up at me. His voice was like velvet.

The fingers of his other hand barely graced the sensitive marks on my abdomen. I could feel the wetness as he smeared his fingers across the welted skin. He raised the extremity into view between us. The tips of his fingers were covered in drops of a reddish liquid, which he examined carefully. The corners of his lips turned up in a smirk as he drew his hand to his lips. His tongue darted out to catch a drop, making eye contact all the while, never faltering his gaze.

"But sometimes it's good that you're uptight...It let's me know you don't have diseases," he smirked.

His smirk only grew when I felt my face burning and my mind felt as if it was short-circuiting. My only attempt to regain control was pushing him away, not hard, but enough for him to step out of the way for me to walk towards the bathroom.

I closed the door loudly, as if the resounding volume would actually separate me from the louse completely. I stood there for a while looking down at the floor. For some reason, the pristine, white tile calmed me down enough to finally getting around to cleaning myself off. There really hadn't been much blood. It had only continued to surface because I hadn't put pressure on it sooner.

I reached for one of the many hand towels and wet a corner to wipe what liquid hadn't already started to harden, away. I held it firmly to my skin for a minute to suppress the minor bleeding. When it stopped, I didn't bother finding some band-aids or gauze. Instead I faced the mirror with a sigh, not willing to look myself in the eyes in my reflection. The scratches would probably fade in a day or two but…

I brought a hand up to the pale line that marked my sternum, feeling it's slight ridge. Some scars were made to last.

"Hey, Shizuo!"

Erika set her plate down in front of me at the breakfast table again. It was almost like nothing had happened. Or at least she played off like things were completely normal. The others hadn't said anything or given me strange looks either, so I assumed the otaku girl had kept her newly found discovery to herself. For that, I was thankful, but it wasn’t enough to cool the edge of wariness of my surroundings.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to,” she began, poking at her plate. “But...how did you get that scar on your chest?" She had asked her question in a polite, quiet tone to give us privacy from our friends sitting a few seats over.

I sighed. If I lied about it, surely it would come back to bite me in the ass.

"Would it surprise you if I said it was Izaya's fault?" I said, and took a sip of coffee.

Her eyes widened a bit, but she didn't say anything. Her look urged for me to go on.

"The first day we met-"

"It was a day I'll never forget."

I clenched my jaw when I heard Izaya’s melodramatic voice as he pulled out the chair next to me and took a seat.

"School had just let out for the day, the sun was setting in the distance, and blacked out football players were scattered all around him." He said in his theatrical tone, hand movements and all.

"Here we go..." I mumbled.

There was a certain sparkle in Erika's eyes as she listened intently.

"One man still stood in the center of the field-which was a mess by the way; the metal was bent and the nets were torn from the goals, the turf was worn and muddy, and the football was flatter than a 8 year old girl's chest-"

"Stop making it sound so dramatic! You pissed me off, then you cut me." I rested my chin in my hand, annoyed at the conversation I didn’t feel like touching with a ten foot pole.

"This is why no one talks to you, you fool. You don't know how to tell a good story," he scoffed.

There was silence before the girl spoke up. "What did he do to make you mad, Shizuo?"

"Yes, Shizu-chan, please elaborate on what I ' _ did _ ' to make you angry?" He crossed his arms and smiled devilishly as if he knew I wouldn't have an answer.

I remembered back to that day. I recalled the feeling as I stood there in in the field I had just destroyed...

_ "Heh...heh..." I was out of breath. I could feel my heart slamming into my rib cage as my breathing pattern staggered for normality. Everything had gone quiet besides the faint clapping sound on the field side behind me. _

_ Something reeked. _

_ "That's Orihara Izaya," I heard Shinra behind me. "He's not a good guy...Actually, he's kind of an asshole," he laughed. _

_ "That hurt, Shinra." This new voice sounded nasally and sarcastic. It made the hairs on my neck stand up and my skin crawl. _

_ "No, no. I didn't mean it in a negative way-" _

_ There was a time and place to talk to me...Standing in front of a field I had just mercilessly torn to pieces only seconds ago, was not a good time for introductions. It could have been the Pope for all I had cared. My mindset was still focused on the punks who had just ruined what could have been a calm, peaceful afternoon for me. _

_ "You piss me off." I snapped as I turned around to face them both. _

_ Perhaps I really should work on my first impressions. It would help with the whole 'making friends' issue I seemed to struggle with. There was obviously no way I could go back and rethink my actions-not that it really mattered since I'm sure after the scene I had just caused, he would be just another one of those guys who, in the future, would hightail it back the second he saw me...but it would have been nice to meet someone new. _

_ However, something about him seemed different. The way he presented himself, maybe...But the moment I saw him, I disliked him. _

_ He reminded me of a demon that had managed to crawl up from the depths of Hell and disguise himself as a human being. The guy was around my age, by the looks of it, though, he wasn't wearing the same school uniform. He was pale and slender with black hair, reddish eyes- _

_ Yup, he was a demon, alright. _

_ "Oh? That's a shame," this Izaya person said, not looking the slightest bit let down at all. "I thought you and I could have some fun." _

_ "Shut up." I felt my brow begin to twitch. This guy had really come at the wrong time. _

_ "Don't be like that, Shizuo- _ kun _ ," he said in a condescending manner with a sly smirk on his face. _

_ That was it. That's when I snapped. _

_ I turned around to punch him square in the jaw, but as soon as I was close enough, he jumped out of the way. I looked up and he wasn't anywhere in sight. He moved so fast that the next thing I knew, he was in front of me with a knife to my chest. _

_ I didn't really feel it when he cut me, but instinctively brought a hand up to the wound. _

_ "See? It's fun, isn't it?" _

I smiled at the memory that would be soldered into my brain 'til the day I’d die.

"Because, as soon as I saw you...No, even before I turned to look at you, I could feel it. Smell it...Rancid, repulsive...I could already tell it was the scent of your shitty personality." I smirked. "Heh, everything about you reeked of cynical, maniacal, untrustworthy bastard."

He smiled, probably pleased at my description. "You didn't smell so charming either, Mister Cigarettes and B.O." He laughed. "But it's sweet of you to say I made such a memorable first impression...I suppose we both did."

He turned to Erika to address the question she hadn't needed to ask. "When I saw him for the first time, all I could feel was the adrenaline in my veins. I had heard stories of someone around my age being called the 'Fortissimo of Ikebukuro'. I had only hoped the school I was transferring to was the same school he attended...And then to see him upon the day of my arrival..." He turned his attention back to me with a relaxed expression on his face. "Talk about being at the right place at the right time."

He faced Erika again. "The stories didn't do him justice, however. He was even more of a freak of nature than I could have ever imagined. You couldn't blame me for being intrigued...I knew immediately that I wanted to make this person's life hell." He rested his cheek in his hand smiling thoughtfully as he looked at me.

"Funny you say that," I grinned, "because the adrenaline rush I got when I saw you told me to beat you to a pulp."

"And you have my most sincere apology for stopping you," his sweet smile failed to cover his sarcasm.

"Ah, sometimes I regret introducing you two..." Shinra came over to where the flea and I were sitting and wrapped an arm around each of us. Both Izaya and I shrugged off the friendly gesture.

"We would have met one way or another, and I guarantee you would still be in the middle of it all, Shinra," Izaya said with a smile.

All the while, Erika sat in front of us with her hands clasped and eyes gleaming.

"The game will be played the same way as capture the flag."

We were outside now, gathered around our female friend as she gave us instructions for the game we were supposedly playing this morning. I guess she had dubbed herself our activity manager for the trip, seeing as things had been thus far. At least it was giving us something to do.

"The rules are simple. To win, you must capture flags from the opposing teams. Your flag has to be accessible  _ within _ your fort. You can't carry it." She eyed Izaya who raised an eyebrow.

"You can design your fort however you like and put it wherever you like, since there's no place to hide with your footprints in the snow anyway. Any questions?"

“Do I  _ have _ to play?” Izaya apathetically asked next to me with his hand raised.

“Do you have anything better to do?” she challenged with a hand on her hip.

The flea shrugged and we looked around for anyone else with a question. Kadota raised his hand next.

“There’s an odd number of people. Is someone sitting out or will there be a group of three?”

“Well...Yumasaki and Togusa and I already agreed to be teammates so…”

“I’ll gladly sit out of this stupid game if I-”

“No Izaya, you’re not sitting out,” Erika scolded him again.

He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “Fine. In any case, what’s in it for the winning team?”

A new expression sparked in the girl’s eyes as she grinned widely. “The losers are buying dinner for whoever wins.”

Izaya studied her for a moment and everyone watched him think over the terms and conditions in silence. “Fine, then I’m teaming with Muscles, here,” he smirked, pointing a thumb in my direction.

“ _ Me?!  _ Why me?” Everyone including myself shot the man next to me strange looks for his bizarre behavior.

"What? I'm no idiot. If we're playing to win, then obviously I'm going to pick the most physically capable player. I didn't plan on losing, even if it  _ is _ a game as childish as this." He stood taller and put a hand on his hip. "Besides. Who else is willing to risk their life if a snowball comes my way?" he chuckled.

"Flea-!"

"Okay! Walker, Togusa and I will be team two!” Erika turned clapping her hands together to face the remaining two players. “Kadota and Shinra will be team three. Any objections?

"I feel like there are several unfair advanta-"

"Good!" She didn't hesitate to interrupt Shinra as she dug for the items in her pocket. "Here are your flags." She walked over and handed me a green bandanna, Kadota a blue one, and she kept a pink one.

She backed up and looked at us all seriously. "Prepare for battle, gentlemen. You have 1 hour to build your fort...Let the games BEGIN!"

Before I could even register what to do next, my hand was grabbed and I was being pulled behind me as Izaya started to run.

"Izaya?!"

"We’re wasting no time with your dawdling! In order to succeed we're going to need your strength and my brains!"

We ran as quickly as possible toward the east end of the resort. It was strange to see the flea acting so serious over a game he had just deemed ‘childish’. He was light on his feet as he ran in front of me. He had let go of my hand a few moments after I began to follow him, but I could still feel the small, gloved grip in my palm.

“Where are we going?” I called ahead. It felt like we had been running for over ten minutes.

“Somewhere where there’s more room,” he spoke ahead without looking back.

After reaching an open space, Izaya slowed down and we came to a stop.

"Okay," he panted and turned to face me as I clutched onto my knees. My legs felt like jelly after running in the thick snow. It wasn’t like what I was used to when I chased the louse back in ‘Bukuro. “I have a plan, but you need to agree to listen to me," he said trying to catch his breath.

I hadn't even thought of planning our next phase of action, but soon realized that he probably had the whole thing figured out.

"What is it?" I too, was trying to breathe normally.

His eyes narrowed and his lips drew up to flash his signature grin. There was a passionate fire burning in his carmine eyes that were bright from the rays of sun above us. I could of sworn he was more interested than just winning. Sure, he was a sore loser, everyone knew that, but from how things looked in his eyes, this was probably another amusing game for ‘his humans’.

“Alright, first we-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are all looking forward to the next update. It will be full of action, and depending on how I space things out, there /may/ or may not be some more physical contact between these two >-> Don't worry though, we aren't rushing into anything just yet. I like to pace myself with these things...and goodness knows they need to be paced too.  
> I always appreciate your comments and kudos! Thank you all again for reading!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay getting this chapter out, I spent the weekend with my family and didn't get a chance to finalize the editing in time for my deadline v.v But it's here now, and that's what matters, right?  
> So this chapter has a little more action in it, and alas, it's FINALLY in Izaya's pov!  
> Anyway, I won't hold you up with A/N, so enjoy the read!

_ Izaya _

 

"Put your back into it, Shizu-chan!"

I smirked looking down from the tower of snow I was perched on. The filmatic scene was nearly complete, had I only been using megaphone to talk into as I bossed the blonde around. He hadn't objected at all since we started, though. That small brain of his took instruction well, much to my amusement. It was obvious that my mentality dominated his tenfold, but physically speaking, with his strength and speed...I smirked as I looked down at him, hard at work.

"Oi, where does this go?"

I suppose you could say I was pleased with the situation.

"Connect it to the far left wall to block the side. Is it tall enough?"

"It's as tall as me," he said flatly. I guessed he wasn't completely gratified that I left him to do all the labor, but we both knew that our chances of winning dropped by at least 90% if we let  _ him _ manage the plan.

"Hmmm, that should do it then." I clapped as I smirked, overlooking the marvelous job I had done creating the design. I stood on the highest point in the center of a large maze; walls high enough to not be looked over, and walls thick enough to not be broken through weaved below me. My plan was coming together nicely, making perfect time, thanks to Shizuo's efficiency.

Tying the green bandanna to a fallen pine branch, I hopped from my 7 foot pedestal down to where he had walked over in the epicenter of the layered walls. The little flag waved freely in the soft breeze.

"We still have fifteen minutes left to make ammunition. But first you and I will need to walk through every inch of this."

"Won't that waste time?" He looked at me in confusion.

"Silly Shizu-chan," I said as I started to take the nearest path. His footsteps followed soon behind me.

There was silence as we walked side by side taking random turns and twists through the halls he had built. Walking to each dead end and back into what I had memorized to be the main trail. I was almost certain he had it memorized too, by how confidently he walked beside me. Not because he had a photographic memory like myself; his instincts were keen, and could sense familiar with unfamiliar. Surely throughout the maze's construction he recalled a thing or two.

"To answer your question from before, I didn't say that just to take a romantic stroll with you." We remained facing forward but he was glancing down to read my face. "Our footprints show the correct path to the flag," I stated. "In order to make the maze an actual  _ challenge _ , we'll need tracks through every possible mistaken course too, going in both directions. The more prints there are, the more complicated they are to read."

"Hmm," he grunted as he put two and two together.

We walked the entire labyrinth and made our way back to headquarters, the central tower. Together we sat making snowballs for ammo, further discussing how he would remain behind to hold down the fort, literally. He agreed, being more familiar at throwing things rather than dodging them. I would be the one doing the capturing since I was faster and a harder target to hit. It was a disturbing thought, but i couldn't help but think we made a pretty good team.

We stood up and watched the second hand on my watch count down the last few moments before the game would officially begin. When the big hand hit 12, I looked up at him and saw fire in his eyes as he smirked. The fact that he actually looked excited to play was kind of...cute. It gave me a little bit more energy. I realized I hadn't just wanted to win because I was obsessed with winning...but because I wanted  _ us  _ to win.

"Ne, Shizu-chan...I'm a pretty sore loser, so I suggest if you don't want to hear me complaining later-"

"I won't let you down." His beamed a wide smile and his prideful expression made me bite my tongue from any further sarcastic commentary."It was your plan, after all."

_ He...genuinely is excited? Isn't he? _

I smirked back at him. Deep down he was just a really big kid.

"Very well, prove to me your worth as a teammate." I smiled and winked before dashing out of the maze, taking my faith in him with me.

I sprinted back to where the meeting was held with the other groups. When I reached it, I saw footprints fork into two directions. A third set of tracks indicated Erika's team, which I had planned to target first. Though they had an extra member, I seriously doubted any of them had a notable skill to watch out for.

The prints led me to a hill where several species of plant life, hardy enough to endure the extreme weather, made their home. There were no tourists there since it was farther away from the resort. It was the area around where the forest leading to the mountains and the clear snow began to merge. I'll give props them for at least being creative in picking a territory.

The trail of footsteps descended down the slope of the hill where I was standing. I had my suspicions that the team had settled nearby, so I crawled to the edge of the small cliff. As I suspected, sitting about 8 feet below me, was makeshift snow fort.

It looked sturdy; tall, thick walls were packed into the shape of a small, square room with no windows, a single door, and no ceiling. From the edge where I sat, I could see just slightly into the alcove, enough to see a shadow of a human figure sitting in one of the corners. I sat back out of the possible line of sight of  _ Enemy A _ , so I dubbed them. I had four options to get inside: through the door, breaking through a wall, digging my way underneath, or jumping into the open canopy. I obviously eliminated choices two and three, seeing they were less discreet and more time consuming. Waltzing through the front door didn't seem like my style, so a grand entrance through the roof it was.

I looked around in hopes of finding leverage for my jump. Nothing really caught my eye until I tried standing up and a branch was in my face, literally, almost catching my eye. I stepped away to examine it.

A small Japanese larch tree, probably only fifteen years old, stood about 20 feet tall. The branches were young and sporadic, however unyielding to the climate. Placing my hands firmly against its extension, I hoisted myself up. The strong arms of the larch didn't budge against my force so I carried on. Higher up now, I had a better view of below.

There were three things that grabbed my attention. There was the two sets of footprints leaving the area and heading back to resort grounds; the pink bandana tied to a stick that was planted atop one of the walls; as well as who exactly the sole individual was left behind, sitting inside the small hideout.

I hadn't talked to him much, but I recognized him by the long, shaggy, brown hair, Togusa, had been the one to stayed back to guard the fort. This meant that Erika and her partner in crime, Yumasaki, were out somewhere looking for flags. I didn't worry though. Just because there were two of them, it made no difference where they stood between me and my-... _ our,  _ I corrected myself-victory.

If anyone had the upper hand here, well,  _ obviously _ it would be Shizuo. He would be lost without me. Seriously, if the man can't hit me with a street sign, a snowball fight shouldn't be any less different. It was highly favorable on his part that we were working in unison.

I focused back on the task at hand. Togusa, as far as I could tell, hadn't seen or heard me yet, and I planned to keep it that way, so long as the tree cooperated with me. There was snow coating the piney tips of the branch that sat just above the the boy's head. If it fell, my means of a sneak attack would fail, and I would have to improvise the rest.  _ However _ ...When I thought about it, maybe pelting the brunette with snowballs wasn't such a bad idea...

I climbed across the branch slowly, keeping my balance, not to disturb the settled snow. As I crept closer, no matter how cautiously, the frosty dust sprinkled lightly into the air. You could see the shimmering flakes dwindle down leisurely until it blended with the ground below it, and in this case, a mahogany scalp. I hadn't been discovered still, thankfully, and continued my mission until I was completely over the snow fort. It was amazing how imperceptive people could be.

Now was was the time to unleash phase one of my attack.

I outstretched an arm to grab at the snow clump at the edge of the branch. My gloved fingertips brushed it lightly, so I leaned in further to grasp enough to make a snowball, which I would initially be pelting at my classmate's head. I steadied my aim, also preparing myself to make the 10 foot drop.

I inhaled slowly then let out a silent, shaky breath. My heart was pounding with excitement. The heat that escaped my mouth clouded the crisp air. At the same time I wound my arm back, readying to strike, I heard the branch make some kind of ‘popping’ sound, as if the wood were splitting.  _ Shit. _

The brunette below me heard it too and looked looked around. He took a step outside the fort, but I knew as soon as he would walk back in he would see me.

I had never tried out for sports because I wasn't what you would call a "team player". However, my hand-eye coordination and perception were always on point. The sharp thud of snow against skin, and yelp of a surprised teenage boy signaled my dive into the belly of the cove. He hadn’t even made it through the doorway before he had been pelted square on the side of the head.

I of course, landed swiftly as ever. It took my enemy a good five seconds to be aware of the ambush. That was just enough time for me to hop up, snatch the flag, and make a break through the front door, pushing him back down on my out.

"HEY!" Togusa, who had finally managed to compose himself on the ground, got up and dashed out behind me as I headed up the hill and straight for civilization.

My adrenaline was pumping through my arteries and I loved the thrill of a chase. It was exhilarating having someone running after you out of determination, but a small part of me felt pang of sadness that it wasn't who exactly I'd like it to be trailing behind me. At least then there would be conversation among us...However, that was completely irrelevant.

As I pursued, the brunette was falling further and further behind. The sound of muffled footsteps treading through snow was becoming more distant as we started to see people come into view. I had let myself get sidetracked on another mental Shizuo tangent and temporarily forgot I'd have this guy chasing me as I try to find the other team's hideout.

Luck must have been on my side because I didn't have to search for long before I saw the rest of my opponents taking off after each other in the distance. They seemed to be indulging in more of an actual snowball fight than the sluggard behind me and I had.

Kadota was rushing after Yumasaki and Erika, who were alternating throwing snowballs into the war zone between them. In one of Erika's hands, was the blue team’s flag. I noticed that the only person missing from the picture was Shinra, and something told me he was caught up  _ elsewhere... _

"HE'S GOT OUR FLAG!" The boy behind me yelled to his teammates.

Three heads turned in our direction as we raced past them. It was only a matter of seconds before they too, darted after us. Stride by stride, they chased me as I bolted toward home base, slowing down ever so slightly to let them catch up to my speed. Little did they know, they would walk right into Shizuo's trap, leading us to victory. The last thing left up to me was to not get lost in the maze of our fort.

I pursued further, running towards HQ at full speed. It was only a matter of minutes before I saw the large mounds of snow along the horizon. The drag of the fluffy, white, ground beneath my boots made the distance seem longer than it really was. But as we neared the fortress, I noticed more than just the alabaster labyrinth we were approaching. I could see dots of colour in various shapes and sizes around it, as I squinted my eyes, using my hand to block the glare of the sun. I saw that they weren't just dots, but people, surrounding our destination.

"What the-?" I muttered.

I didn't let my confusion slow me down as the distance between the excessive fort and I came to a close. I avoided the individuals spectating and taking pictures of the structure as I entered the gap between two tall walls. My followers were also trying not to bump into the mass of people to catch up to me.

"AHH! This is so cool!" Erika squeaked not too far behind me. "Shizuo must have built this!"

I huffed at that.  _ Thanks to me, of course, _ I thought in annoyance as if they had really expected that idiot to make something as magnificent as this by himself.

“This is right up your alley, isn’t it, Yumacchi?” I heard the girl tailing me ask. She was panting heavily from all the running, but ever-so-enthusiastic.

“Not quite,” the boy, Yumasaki, replied in staggered breaths. “It’s not like ice sculpturing...But it is...art. In it’s own way.” I could hear the contemplation in his tone, despite the running.

I tuned the rest of their out of breath conversation out as I turned another corner. It was most inconvenient that other humans had decided  _ now,  _ of all times, to make our maze a tourist attraction. It wasn't bustling with people just yet, but there were enough to slow all of us down. 

A group of teenage girls I recognized in our grade, were talking and laughing as they walked among the interior. They smiled and waved when I approached them, excusing myself as I walked in between them.

"Good afternoon, ladies," I bowed curtly before ducking down and squeezing past the bridge they created with outstretched arms.

They giggled, allowing me to pass once they realized the little game of 'tag' that was going on between me and my pursuers. They helped block the gang behind me briefly to help my escape. When the four finally pushed through, it was back to weaving our way through the crowd, down the paths and I knew were nearing the center.

One final turn and-

_ "Oof!" _

I walked face first into something hard and cold.

"Ow, watch it!"

I removed my face from the high pile of snow it had just planted itself in when I had rounded the corner.

"Shinra?"

Shinra's head was poking out of a thick mound of snow. His body was completely engulfed in the pure, white heap. He had probably given up on trying to escape long before we reached him, seeing how it was entirely impossible for him to be able to move; aside from being able to make the frustrated facial expression he was wearing, that is. Something told me that however he got himself in there, was caused by the hands of a certain mutual acquaintance of ours.

"So you're back?" A familiar gruff voice was standing a few meters away from me.

Leaning against the central tower of snow, Shizuo was tossing a snowball up into the air and catching it with one hand.

"And I see you've kept up your end of the deal. Nicely done." My breathing was still heavy, but my smirk remained as I send our bespectacled friend a wide grin. "Duck."

"Wha-?"

The snowball he was holding flew right over my shoulder faster than I could even blink, and I heard a thick smacking noise behind me. I was in shock for nearly a second, as I whipped around to see Yumasaki get hit with a snowball right in the chest.

Shinra and I in unison, _ "ouched”, _ as the boy slid down the wall that he had impacted so hard it had left an imprint, hands clasping his upper body.

"Shizuo! He could seriously be hurt!" the brunette beside me yelped.

"I'm...fine." The dirty blonde coughed as he gasped for air, the wind clearly knocked out of him.

“Huh, and I didn’t even use all that much strength in that one…”

I turned back to Shizuo beaming another grin as I felt exceedingly pleased with his aim for once. "Ne, since when could you hit a moving target?" I chided playfully.

I could see the blonde smiling from across the way until our moment was so rudely interrupted.

"KYAAA!" Erika shrieked her battle cry as she came rushing at me with Togusa on her heels.

I jumped out of the way of the screaming girl gracefully and tripped the brunette behind her with ease, making him face plant into the soft ground.

Even with two teammates down, Erika still stood tall but winded from all the running. The three of us made no move, and Shinra sat in his snow pile helplessly. Our gazes swept between each other and to the navy bandana she was holding tightly onto.

"So," she let out a heavy, worn out sigh. "Two against one, huh?"

“So it would seem,” I said, eyeing the fabric tenaciously as I calculated possible out turns of the situation. My thoughts were shortly interrupted when the blonde shrugging and dropping his snowball caught my eye.

“Sorry, but...I’m not into hitting girls.”

My mouth fell agape and I snapped my head in his direction to I gracefully stutter a simple, aghast, “WHAT?” It took a minute for my thoughts to catch up with me. Out of all this work,  _ everything  _ that was put into this plan, the brute chose  _ now _ of all times to be respectful and chivalrous? “You’re joking, right?” I accused, dumbfoundedly.

Seriously, all this buildup for naught?

“What? It goes against my morals to act violent against women,” he stated naturally.

I punched the bridge of my nose, slacking the tension that had been in my stance of attack. “In any other situation I can understand, but  _ this? _ This is a game! A  _ game.”  _ I tsked back at him.

“Well if that's how we’re going to settle things, I'll just-”

_ Whack! _

There was a sharp smacking sound of something hard hitting flesh. Said flesh, being Erika’s right cheek, cutting off the tail end of her sentence.

“ _ Ow! _ ” was the next sound to break the silence seconds later.

It hadn't been Shizuo, me, or any of her teammates. It couldn't have been Shinra, so where-?”

“I’m not afraid to hit a girl.”

The high pitched voice had us all spinning around to the base of the tall tower that stood in the center of the maze. I recognized the boy who stepped out into the open to reveal himself. It had been the same kid who had nearly hit me with a snowball just days before. Three other children his age emerged carrying several snowballs each. Instantly, the girl was being relentlessly pelted at. She shrieked, dropping her flag and covering her head with both hands as she ran past me for cover from the boys chasing her.

I turned back around to where Shizuo stood smiling proudly. I waltzed over the space between us to pick up the flag with two fingers.

“I suppose this means checkmate, then?” I said with a hand on my hip.

“ _ There _ you guys are.”

Kadota must have either fallen behind or given up on the chase entirely by the time he finally caught up to us, walking into the open circle of the labyrinth. He looked tired and mildly irritated as he eyed both pink and blue bandanas in my palm.

“It’s about damn time,” Shinra cursed as Kadota came to a halt next to where the brunette’s body was engulfed in the snow.

We helped unbury him as the rest of us gathered our things to head back inside. The sun was starting to set now, as midday had turned into late afternoon. Shizuo and I went our separate ways from the gang after we had grabbed some takeout to bring back up to the room.

“Who would have thought you could actually hit a moving target, ne? Or have you just been holding back on me~?”

To my surprise, the small talk had brought a slight smile to curve at the blondes lips. “You just get lucky, flea,” he replied, looking straight ahead.

“Is that so?” I hummed as I mentally noted that there was a possibility he could keep missing me on purpose, but I dismissed the thought. “So where did you pick up the rugrats?”

"Oh, they found me and kept apologizing for the other day,” he began. “I told 'em it was fine...I was kinda uh, embarrassed, so I told them I had completely forgotten about it. Then they kept askin' questions on how I built that thing and what I was waiting for and so I told them about the snowball fight. Then they just kinda stayed there waiting with me."

I nodded as he talked. “And that’s when you asked for them to do the dirty work for you?” I teased.

“What? No!” He looked at me as if I had just accused him of a horrendous crime. “No, they just stuck around, like I said...I just didn't want to throw something at her that could hurt her.”

“Erika’s a tough girl,” I pointed out. “It was her idea after all...And I didn't see you having any trouble knocking the wind out of Yumisaki.”

Shizuo shook his head in disagreement. “It’s not right. It's not right to harm women, even as a joke. My mom always raised me to protect women.” He looked down toward his open palm, which he then closed to a fist. “Especially with my strength…” There was a hint of remorse in his voice and I could tell there was another dark thought that followed in his pea-brain. I could have teased him for it, he was a monster after all. But he was a gentleman at heart, and I couldn't bring myself to add a snide comment. It was kind of sweet, in a sickening way. I quickly derailed whatever idea that might be to a different topic.

“Well i’m sure your mother would be proud then,” I stated matter-of-factually, looking straight ahead, hoping the confidence and certainness of my tone would mask the emotion I meant with those words.

We didn't say anything after that when we unlocked the door to our room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I can say is I hope you guys are ready for some gay sports next time.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm late, again. I'm sorry. I'm trying to manage my time between family and keeping up with the updates, but these past couple weeks have been more hectic than usual... >.>  
> So I'm posting today (Saturday), instead of Sunday. I'll try to have another chapter out earlier in the week to make up for my lack of being here.  
> Moving on from my excuses, WE ARE FINALLY GETTING SOMEWHERE IN THIS STORY. I really don't need to say much else, but this chapter is full of fluff. Enjoy.

_ Shizuo _

 

We celebrated our victory with the free meal provided by our rivals for our earlier triumph. After today's teamwork, it was a different kind of awkward that led to us dining together at the small table in the room’s kitchenette. We ate in silence, mostly. Izaya had found a pamphlet buried in a drawer that looked something like a directory. A very long directory, that was. The complexity of its detailed maps and fine print were too much for me to look at, but Izaya studied it thoughtfully.

"Hmm..." Izaya stopped midway through page three.

I paused before my next bite of coconut tempura to give him a questioning look. "What is it?"

"It seems they have an ice skating rink here..." he murmured as a though he were talking to himself, but I had grown to learn that that tone was used more as an inquisition than actual rambling.

"Yeah, I think Shinra said something about it before," I replied nonchalantly with a mouthful of sushi.

"Hmmm..." he repeated, studying the brochure intently, as if he were to be tested on it the next day.

I said nothing as I consumed the rest of my dinner while Izaya sat with his eyes zeroed in, pointing to the words:  _ "Ice Skating Rink : East Wing : Deck Level 2". _

"Hmmmmmm," he repeated again, with an edge in his tone.

I took a sip from the straw in my milk carton, chewing the end between gritted teeth as he continued to drag on the annoying sound. I gave it a few seconds. Then ten. Then twenty. I continued to sip the drink agitatedly, squashing the carton as the beverage began to run dry, and as I turned, about to tell him to shut the hell up, he-

“I know! Why don't we try going skating tonight? What do you say?”

I shut my mouth, letting my irritation cool down for a moment as I thought. He must have sensed me about to go off on him so he sat patiently, waiting for a reply. I knew there was a time and place to pick my battles. The raven civilly requesting an after dinner ice skating venture was not something I felt necessary to argue over.

I gave in with a sigh, telling myself it was only because we hadn’t made any other plans.

"I mean, I  _ guess _ we can go,” I said, finally agreeing.

A faint smile appeared on his lips and he made a soft hum of approval as he went back to revising the paper, if only to muse me. I could tell that there was something more upbeat about him in the small gesture. It made me wonder just what I had gotten myself into.

To be honest, I was glad to be doing something I  _ didn't _ have to wear ten different layers for. I checked myself in the mirror one last time, making sure that the light weight, black jacket I wore over a blue, long sleeve shirt with faded jeans looked okay together. I didn't really have much of a taste in fashion, but I tried to follow in Kasuka's footsteps. People always complimented him on what he wore.

_ But that was beside the point, because it didn’t matter right now. _

I shook my head trying to ignore the unnecessary concern I had about my appearance. After all, it was just going to be me and...the flea.

I took a deep breath to clear my head, fidgeting with the button of my sleeve around my wrist, when I heard the door click on the other side of the room. Izaya emerged from the bathroom dressed in all slim fitting black clothes. A black knit shirt with a low neckline revealed his protruding collarbones and framed his slender figure agreeably. The dark jeans that he wore complimented his legs, snug enough to accent his narrow hips without making him appear too skinny. On top of that, his ebony hair gave him an even lighter complexion that showed off the red glistening in his irises. I couldn't tell if he was trying to look more modelesque or borderline goth.

"You certainly wear black a lot," I blurted the obvious as I had pieced together over the days so far of what his wardrobe consisted of.

"You’re not wrong," he said plainly, as he slipped his shoes on.

Don't ask why I bothered, but-

"...any particular reason?"

He stood up to look at me with a dry smile, as if he was about to enlighten me on something universally known. "Studies confirm that wearing black makes you appear more attractive, intelligent and confident...Ah, but of course since you know me, you know that these things already come naturally.” He put one hand on his hip and used the other to run his fingers around the collar of my own jacket, examining the fabric. His eyes shifted from my neck and chest back up to meet my gaze, looking at me through dark lashes. “Even you look like you could have bimolecular brain cells in this tonight,” he smirked.

I cleared my throat, looking away from his focus. “You’ve got a real shitty way of complimenting people if that's what you're trying to do…”

He let out a whimsical laugh, turning to unlock the door to the room. We stepped out into the hall and he turned to me one last time.

“Wouldn't you like to know~.”

Those were the last words spoken until we were behind the busy counter of someone asking for our shoe sizes.

Looking at the map again, the rink had been just a bit further past the gym and hot springs. Apparently the East Wing consisted of those, a pool, locker rooms and multiple saunas. I could have sworn this place was called a  _ ski  _ resort.

It hit me again when I was lacing up my ice skates that it was only me and him. Alone. Together. Just the two of us. I groaned when I realized no one was going to come to my rescue if the flea started doing questionable flea things.

I let my gaze slip as I watched him in the corner of my eye. He was sitting on the adjacent bench. His long, pale fingers, threaded the laces of his skates languidly, double tying the knot for security. He moved onto the next skate, gracefully slipping in a foot that was dressed in a black sock. His feet were certainly on the smaller end of the spectrum, but seemed to be in proportion to the rest of his slight build. I watched him tie the lace a second time again, pulling gently against the strings. His hands we so precise and delicate, I found it mesmerizing.

He outstretched his leg, allowing his slender fingers to slide from around his ankle up to his calf. They slowly graced past the natural bend in his knee and along to the side of his thigh in a caressing manner. The hand I kept a watchful eye on changed positions and made a ‘come here’, motion, which snapped me back to reality.

The familiar hum from a snicker made my eyes jump away from his legs and to his face. His look was  nothing unexpected; taunting and proud that he had just caught me staring at him. His smirk however, was more playful than the devilish one he usually wore. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks as I turned away. No matter what I did to try to remember not to get lost in thought from staring at something for too long, Izaya was always a not-so-friendly reminder.

We stepped outside the glass doors that separated the rink from the main building and into some sort of dome-like structure made of only windows. The clear night sky could be seen above through the panels of glass that lined the ceiling. Frost-like mosaics decorated the otherwise transparent walls. Up here there was much less smog and pollution unlike back in the city, so the array of stars and galaxies were visible through the skylight. It also reminded me of some kind of reverse greenhouse; the air temperature must have been controlled by the resort, because it was kept cool enough to ensure the ice from melting, but not freezing like it was outside in the frigid night weather.

The rink, ironically enough, resembled a pool area. Black iron tables and chairs were scattered in front of a snack bar on the patio surrounding the ice. The ring itself was gated in with a similar decorative iron fence. Around it, were what looked like street lamps, but had a rather Victorian inclination about them. I thought it to be unusual that they would choose something like that instead of traditional Japanese architecture. Then again, this building was a fairly new addition to the area, so I had read. Nonetheless I found it to be beautiful.

“This place is really, uh...elaborate,” I noted aloud as I took in the view of our surroundings.

"i was just thinking that it's strange that a design influenced by the European 1800's would wind up in such a large estate here in Japan..."

I nodded my head in agreement, not really knowing what to say in response. I found myself breaking into a cold sweat from feeling it necessary to make small talk, but I was drawing a blank. It wasn't like we were on a  _ date _ or anything but-

It suddenly dwelled on me that to some people this  _ would _ be considered a date. Something had me wishing that I should have just talked the flea into staying back at the room...Then again, I wasn't sure I would like how _ that _ would end up either. At least there were people here to relieve some of the awkwardness.

_ But wait. _

I scanned the crowd around us for anyone we might know. Luck wasn't really on my side since there was abundance of adults, children  _ and  _ teenagers all around us. I was tall, so I could get a better idea of the premises than Izaya could, so if I saw someone from our school other than our friends, I could-

I shook my head.

_ No...it would be even  _ weirder _ if Shinra or someone saw just the two of us together without them… _

I got the feeling that people were staring, so instead I glanced down at the flea who walked casually through the crowd without a second thought. I guessed he wouldn't care either way if someone caught us-

C _ aught us?! This isn't some damn date-! _ I had no sense being as nervous as I was.

"Ne, are you looking for someone, Shizu-chan?" He didn't bother directing his attention to me as he addressed me in a monotone manner.

"N-no. I'm just…”  _ I’m just what?  _  “There’s a big crowd tonight.”

“Well what do you expect? This place is enormous. Surely everyone is looking for things to do inside late at night.”

“Hmm...I guess so…”

I went through the gate first, stepping out onto the ice. I used my reflexes to find my balance before moving freely away from the fence. I spun around waiting for the flea to follow, but found him leaning against the dark iron posts in the entrance with his arms crossed.

"Half the point of ice skating is the ice part." I stood, scratching my head as I looked at him not at all amused.

He brought a hand up to his chin pretending to be in thought. The light from the lamp above him reflected into his ruby orbs when his gaze locked with mine. "I must have forgotten to mention...I've never done this before." He grinned wildly, testing me.

I stood there, dumbfounded. "You're shitting me?"

He raised his arms in defense as he smiled. "I'm not."

"Then why the fuck were you so persistent about dragging me here?" I hissed quietly as my brow twitched. I tried not to raise my voice since there was a group of younger kids skating past us.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to try something new, ne?" he said feigning innocence.

"Then why did you only ask me to go, then? Why not Shinra or-?"

" _ Technically, _ I never asked you,” he stated matter-of-factually.

"You know what I mean,” I sighed in annoyance, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Why are we even here if you can't skate?"

"You don’t have to announce it to the world, you know," he said flatly, with an agitated demeanor.

It didn't even phase me that he could possibly feel embarrassed about the fact. I let out a deep breath again and leaned on the fence beside him. We were silent.

"Look, it's not that I'm embarrassed or anything...It's just unusual for me not to know how to do something...And believe it or not I felt more comfortable asking you..." The last sentence was hushed, but I was certain I heard it.

I felt my face warm and I looked down at him. He was facing away from me so I couldn’t read his expression. I turned away again, looking up at the glassy ceiling. "I suppose I can teach you then...If you really you want"

Changing his tone, he clapped his hands, meeting my gaze with his usual mischievous glare. “Very well, teach me your ways,  _ sensei,”  _ he purred, teasing me.

I took a sharp breath in at the comment, staring bashfully into his half-lidded, carmine eyes. He batted his long lashes and his lips formed into a devilish smirk.

I backed away to stand in front of the gate and mustered up the courage to extend a hand for him to take. Hesitantly, I felt his delicate hand met mine. His hands were obviously much smaller than mine. In fact, the way his nails were perfectly manicured looked like they could almost be mistaken for a girl's hand. He had long, pinkish nail beds, and the free edge of his nails were just slightly longer than how most guys cut them. They were filed into a rounded oval shape at the end. Attached to his dainty nails, his pale fingers were long and thin. On each index finger he wore a pair of shiny silver rings. I remembered he would sometimes play with them absentmindedly in class when he was too bored to pay attention. The first time I noticed when he started wearing them was on the roof of the school during our lunch break. He had picked some fish out of my bento box when I was looking away talking to Shinra, but the second time he tried I caught him because of the glimmer of the band in mid afternoon sun. To this day, he still tried sneaking food away from me when I wasn’t paying attention.

I took a deep breath, manning up to offer my other hand for him to hold on to. I supposed this would be the only way to give him a sense of security if he were to fall. He looked slightly surprised at the gesture at first but gently placed his palm over mine. The cool touch made my heart beat a little faster.

He stepped onto the ring with one foot, but paused before he added a second.

"You skate with two feet, ya know."

"Oh shut up,” he rolled his eyes. “Am I not allowed to be a little hesitant?...Don't repeat that I said that."

I frowned. "Look I'm not gonna let you fall. I'm not that much of a dick."

Finding balance, he reached his other leg onto the foreign surface. I felt him grip my hands tighter as he did so. It took him a couple seconds before he relaxed his legs. Luckily for him, he was light on his feet.

I held on to him as I took small steps forward as I pulled him along with me. He was a fast learner, of course, and tried mimicking my actions. I could tell he was very concentrated by the way he watched his feet take one step at a time. The distance between them gradually increased. So did we.

"Try not to look down. It needs to feel more natural,” I instructed.

He directed his attention to my face instead, and I automatically felt like he had gotten much closer just by looking up at me. My face warmed again and he raised an eyebrow quizzically as he grinned.

“Are you blushing, Shizu-chan?” he chuckled condescendingly.

“No.” But it was a lie. “I’m just...cold.”

I knew he didn’t believe me when he let out a laugh, but he ended up slipping towards me. I caught him when he made contact with my chest and we both froze.

“S-sorry,” he muttered backing away from me, averting my gaze. This time, I noticed the tips of his ears reddened.

“s’fine,” I said in a hushed voice.

He looked anywhere but at me after that, but continued to hold onto my hands. Soon enough, after a few minutes of this, he felt confident enough to let go of one of my hands and hold on to the sleeve of my jacket instead. I could tell his grip was getting looser and looser with each graceful stride.

"See, it's not that hard. I knew you'd pick up on it quick.” I broke the silence between us as he let go completely.

He must have gotten over the little mishap as he turned to smile at me. “Well I did have a good teacher, after all," he said to me with a wink and a friendly punch to the arm.

I smiled back at him and rolled my eyes at the playful joke when suddenly the lights dimmed around us.

"Is this place closing down already?" I frowned feeling a little let down.

There was a resounding ‘ _ click _ ’ and the next thing I knew, we were surrounded by colourful lights shining brightly onto frozen surface.

Everyone stopped to  _ ooh  _ and  _ ahh,  _ as beams of blues, purples and pinks danced on the ground below us. The brilliant lights reflected on the glass walls of the room in dazzling formations. Each time the spotlights changed their patterns, so did their hues and tones.

People were clapping and cheering at the beautiful performance before they carried on skating under the refracting lights.

"Wha-"

I turned to look down at Izaya to ask something, but my breath was taken away before I could finish the syllable.

Before me, outlined with a magenta glow, was a person I thought I once knew. An individual I thought to be the permanent thorn in my side. Someone who lived without a concern for anyone but himself. A heartless man, one too confident for his own good. He was in a world of his own, sitting atop a self-built pedestal. He couldn't be touched, or harmed, or offended. He was, after all, Izaya Orihara.

Or so I had thought.

Gazing down at him now, just like the warm, pink aura tracing his silhouette, I saw him in a new light. I could no longer see him as that man. The only thing I could think of now, was how beautiful he looked here on the ice.

The blush coloured lighting softened the lines of his face, tenderly contouring his masculine features. His russet eyes looked into mine in wonder as I studied the detail of his eyes, nose and mouth. I stopped at the small, flushed skin of his lips and couldn't but help lick my own.

Without realizing, I brought a wary hand to cup his face. I didn't need to look up to know he was taken aback; his face got warmer under palm. The tips of my fingers met his hairline and I caressed his cheek with my thumb. My gaze studied the soft lips before me as I subconsciously leaned closer. My instincts let my eyes flutter shut as my nose brushed gently against his. There was a moment of hesitance just before our lips touched, where the hot air from our breaths met.

It was me who initiated the kiss, warm and gentle, and I was surprised when he kissed back. Our lips parted to exhale shakily before we met each other halfway again. For a first kiss, I imagined it to be more awkward and clumsy on my behalf, but I was impressed with myself when the flea actually stepped closer to push himself against me. I caught him with my hands around his hips as he attempted to stand on the toes of his skates to reach me.

I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the attempt, and the raven pulled back just enough for me to look into his half lidded, dilated eyes. I felt him take my empty hand and intertwine our fingers. His smile was both playful and flirtatious

"Do you always kiss your students?" he whispered in a hushed voice directed only to me.

I felt myself flush at the question, but I didn't really feel embarrassed. “No. That was the first time…” I looked away, rubbing the back of my neck. In the corner of my eye I saw his smirk widen at my reply.

“Fancy that. I can't recall kissing any of my teachers either.”

The rest of the night went on as usual, but we exchanged subtle smiles, glancing away each time one caught the other staring. I couldn't stop the butterflies that would make my stomach flip every time the flea did something cute; laugh, smile, or joke playfully and innocently with me. I was actually enjoying the time spent alone with him.

“So you’re saying you’ve  _ never _ been to Mongolia?” he stared at me in disbelief.

“I don't know where that even is.”

“Shibuya. One of my sisters’ favourite bakeries...Seriously, do you venture anywhere outside of ‘Bukuro?”

“I never really have a need to,” I confessed, sipping the carton of milk I had gotten from one of the vending machines. We had made ourselves comfortable at a table over by the snack bar. “‘Sides Ikebukuro has pretty much everything anyway.” I paused before I took the next sip of my drink to mumble something under my breath. “But I do love bakeries…”

He heard me of course and perked up, setting down his tea. “So you’d rather stay in the fishbowl of Ikebukuro than adventure elsewhere for something you love? How interesting…” The ends of his lips curved up into an inward smile. “There’s so much more to be found out, even if it’s just around the corner. Look at me for example. I love humans,” he gestured with his hands as he spoke. “There are hundreds of thousands of them where we live, so why do I jump from city to city everyday just to people watch? You might think it’s crazy, so let me enlighten you.” He smiled in a way that  read the reasons behind his actions were plain as day. “People vary all over of course, I know you know that. But you’d be surprised just how different someone from back home can be from the citizens, let’s say, in Shibuya or Harajuku.” He was idly tracing the patterns that made up the surface of the iron table. “Why would I want to stay stationary in a single place when there is so much to see, to learn and discover? Surely you would agree that each and everyone’s uniqueness is what makes the entirety of the human race so  _ fascinating _ and diverse.”

I sighed, not really following the lecture. “How is this related to bakeries again?”

“I’ll put it simply; if you like something, expand and broaden your interest. Explore and dissect it to fully  _ love _ something to it’s full potential.”

He could have just said that in the first place instead of telling me his life story.

I grunted in agreement, not wanting to give him further ideas to tangent on.

“Who knows,” he sighed, turning to the side to watch the people skating. “Maybe I’ll have to drag you with me on one of my expeditions.”

I stilled, looking at the raven in surprise. I hadn’t really thought of what would happen once we got back to the city. It hadn’t even crossed my mind yet. Before I could respond, he faced me again with a thoughtful smile.

“It’s getting late, ne?” he said, rising from his chair. “We should head back to the room.”

We were silent on the way back for the most part, but he walked close to me. Close enough for our shoulders to brush occasionally. When we arrived to our destination, he unlocked the door, entering first.

“Ah, what a tiring day,” he yawned, stretching his arms above his head before laying down on one of the beds like a cat.

I raised an eyebrow as I looked down at him. “You plan on sleepin’ here again?”

“Depends...are you going to kick me out? he teased.

I let out a suppressed sigh, not caring either way. “It doesn’t matter, I guess. Just...stay on your side.”

“You’re the one who can’t keep his hands to himself in his sleep,” he challenged, sitting upright.

“--! What’s that supposed to mean?” I said, taken aback.

“It means~,” he grabbed on of my hands and pulled me down on the bed so that I had to catch myself with both hands on the mattress around him. I stared down at him bashfully, looking into playful, ruby orbs. “You can’t keep your hands off me~.”

I felt my face heat at the accusation. I didn’t know what to say in response, but it didn’t matter because he had brought one of his hands up to my lips to silence me anyway.

I continued to gaze down at him as he looked back up at me, gently caressing his thumb against my bottom lip. I subconsciously swallowed in anticipation as he leaned up to place a chaste kiss where his hand had been, but only for a moment.

Nothing was said after that as we got ready for bed. The mutual silence didn’t bother me though as I tiredly crawled under the sheets to join where the flea had already fallen asleep. It didn’t take long before my breathing had relaxed in sync with his as I began to fade into a slumber. The last thing I could remember was two arms reaching around me before I was out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and for your comments and kudos! I also never do this often enough, but a huge thanks to my two friends Feen and Ryn for helping me with editing and proofreading throughout the story. Y'all are gr8 <3
> 
> Also, there hasn't really been much mention of the timeline of this story, other than that it's winter (duh) and it's some time after the holidays? I originally decided to make the story in late January, so that we could celebrate a certain someone's birthday (huehue), and that day just happens to be 'tomorrow'/in next chapter. Woo-hoo!  
> Since sooo much happens on Shizuo's 'birthday', I've broken it into several chapters. Several. Long. Chapters. So maybe I'll try to speed-edit through them so you can read them in more of a sequence? Anyway, be prepared for some major fanservice and a very persistent Izaya! Until next time <3


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'M LATE.  
> Okay, so this whole visiting family business has been super time consuming, BUT I'm finally on vacation, and that means I have no work or other responsibilities for a whole week! And since I'm not a beach person, I'll be spending most of my time at home, HOPEFULLY getting a few more chapters out this week! That being said, here is the update that was supposed to come out last weekend, and there will be another one coming within the next few days!  
> Basically I'll just be watching anime, reading and editing this whole trip, so I'm going to make sure I get things done for you all to make up for my lack of updates. Stay tuned and enjoy the chapter!

_ Shizuo _

 

I couldn't remember the last time I had slept to this satisfaction. My body and mind felt rested and untroubled, as it had found a pleasurable balance between a congenial dreamland and reality. I was well aware of my surroundings; the fancy interior of the elaborate room, the unimaginably expensive furniture-including the mattress I was currently occupying-as well as the lush sheets and matching comforter I had bundled myself in. But that was what made it even more of a delusion. The phantasmal sense of tranquility of my surroundings, left me feeling immaculate as I laid there in a daze. Each time it crept up, I denied myself assertiveness in hopes of falling into another palatable unconscious state. I had nearly reached it too, until suddenly, I felt cool air greet my skin and an absence of warm fabric.

As a primal reaction, I quickly tugged the layer of blankets back over me, nestling irritably at the interruption. I relaxed once more, trying to find the peace that had slipped through my fingers, however, the unwelcome breeze came again at the lack of covers. This time I didn't hesitate to pull with more force, however something, or rather some _ one _ , came with it.

"Stupid brute!" the familiar voice scolded from on top of me. "I've let you sleep in long enough! If you intend on sleeping any more, you'll miss your own birthday!" There was a sharp flick to my temple before he got off.

I groaned dramatically at the thought, shielding my eyes from the bright, unwelcoming light that burned my retinas as I opened them blearily. I let him resume dragging the rest of the comforter completely off without a fight, acknowledging that there was no sense in arguing this early in the morning. The sudden rush of shivery air had me collapsing into more of a fetal position as I felt the abandonment of my source of protection. He may have won the blankets but he couldn't force me out of bed.

He sighed impatiently again at my protesting. There was silence for a moment, and I thought he had left, when I suddenly sensed him creep closer, feeling his breathing at too close a range.

"How rude,” he jested half-heartedly, “and here, I went through all this trouble for the arrangement of your party...Hasn't anyone told you to be more considerate?"

"Tch." I rolled over, away from the velvety sounding voice in my ear.

"Oh, come now, Shizu-chan," he whispered with a dark undertone as he sat down on the bed next me. "You wouldn't want to miss out on all the fun plans I've made, would you~?."

I tensed when I felt the almost invisible touch of his fingers ghost along the bare skin of my arm, giving me goosebumps. I turned my head to face him grimly, squinting, as my eyes adjusted to the light.

"...What plans?" I asked in a voice, gravelly from sleep.

"Ah, if it weren't for that hideous facial expression, I could have sworn you were excited,” he teased playfully, a sudden change in mood. “Very well, curiosity will just have to do." He poked my cheek harshly, prodding the spot as I eyed him in annoyance. He gave me a thoughtful look. "Seriously, it's as if you're  _ waiting _ for the wrinkles to come...Turn that frown upside down~," he sang happily as he forced the direction of my cheeks upward with his index fingers into a very unpleasant smile. I only glowered at him more as he hummed in amusement to himself before standing up.

Tiredly admitting defeat, I sat up to stretch. I yawned, giving my muscles a chance to wake up as I scratched the back of my head, meeting Izaya's half-lidded gaze as he stood at the foot of my bed.

"Can I help you?" My voice was always raspier in the morning, but today it felt unfamiliar.

"No, no,” he dismissed through the air, although there was clearly something more he had to say. He shrugged, folding his arms and smiling mirthfully as if I were _ clearly _ a sight to see. “It simply amazes me that you can just lay around on such an important day.”

I raised an eyebrow quizzically. "It's just a birthday?" I announced, running my fingers through my bed head, which he kept eyeing.

"Not just _ any _ birthday, but your  _ 18th _ birthday!" He corrected me as if there was some other unbeknownst correlation to the event that I was missing.

"I...don't really see your point...?"

He rolled his eyes and uncrossed his arms. "Here, I have something for you."

I caught the small box he lightly tossed to me with both hands and inspected the foreign packaging of the cigarettes he hadn't bothered to wrap.

"It's a foul habit,” he sighed, “but these are organic and have no nicotine in them. I figured you might live an extra day or two…” I met his gaze in confusion at the gesture that was obviously awkward for him too. “Just think, you're a year closer to being able to doing that legally~," he said hurriedly, to change the subject.

I was perplexed by his sudden act of gratuity, shocked he had gone out of his way to even get me something. Let alone something I'd actually use, though, it wouldn't be long lasting.

My mind quickly tacked down to  _ why, _ exactly, the flea might do something so out of character. "They're not poison are they...?" I asked suspiciously. "And how did you get these? You're not exactly an adult yourself."  _ The legal age to smoke  _ was _ 20, afterall. _

"How could you accuse me of such a thing?" he gasped dramatically, bringing a hand to his chest.

I rolled my eyes at the front. “No, seriously, where did these even come from?”

"Just because I’m not as tall and scary enough to pass for 20 like  _ some _ people," his gaze flickered to me with a cheshire smirk, "I still have my ways~. However, that's not what's important...Silly Shizu-chan is breaking laws already, when he’s so close to being an adult...Well, in  _ some _ countries you already are, I suppose,” he said, tapping his chin and he sighed. “Though, as you continue to follow the road of bad decisions, I'm sure cigarettes will be the least of your problems.” His grin suddenly widened. "In fact, I'm 99% certain that by the time you  _ do  _ reach adulthood, I'll be seeing that foul expression of yours on all the wanted posters, as far as the eye can see... _ Mr. Criminal~ _ ."

"You're the supplier here, flea,” I scoffed, holding up the blue and red box as pretend evidence to the criminal act. “If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me.”

His demeanor changed to playfully muse me once again. "Ah, then I wonder if they'll let us share a cell~? Though, orange  _ does _ wash me out...Or perhaps, if you play nice, I'll pay your bail?" he chided, and I shook my head. "Anyway, I'm going to breakfast. I trust you can get ready by yourself, ne? Or does the birthday boy perhaps desire an extra hand this morning~?" He leaned in, making a suggestive hand motion with a sly smirk.

"I'll pass,  _ thank you, _ " I said as flatly as I could muster, but there was a definite hint of embarrassment at his offer. "You can go ahead…’Sides, I'm gonna go out for a smoke first,  _ if it's safe, _ that is," I replied, examining the imported pack once more.

"As safe as smoking will ever be, Shizu-chan," he chimed, waving goodbye. "Enjoy it, for there are plenty more surprises to come~." He winked before shutting the door behind him, leaving me alone in an empty room.

Slightly confused by the extra peppiness in his step, gift giving, and innuendos, I shoved those questions aside and got out of bed. I didn't have time to be lounging around any longer if it meant keeping people waiting.

And so, the morning ritual commenced, as I tried to erase my memory of the flea’s awkward gesture that still left the hairs on the back of my neck standing, and the heat in my cheeks remained. I took care of the necessities and dressed myself in a white v-neck, a purple zip-up jacket, and black jeans.  _ Suitable enough for a birthday outfit, _ I decided, thinking back to how important Izaya was making the day out to be.

Before heading out the door, I grabbed my heavier jacket, stuffing my newly acquired, organic cigarettes into my pocket. I had checked the alarm clock on my way out, and as the louse had said, he actually did let me sleep in. It was 10:45 now. I supposed if he had gone to meet everyone else at our usual breakfast table, they all must have slept in a little too. That thought made me feel a little relieved as I went down the elevator and through the front doors of the lobby to sit under the overhang at the familiar bench by the ashtray. I hadn't had a cigarette before bed last night so I was especially anxious to try the ones Izaya gave me.

_ Oh, that's right _ ...after 'certain events', smoking had been the last thing on my mind the night before.

The flick of the hot lighter in the crisp morning air warmed my face as I took a long drag. The taste was strong and earthy, but not bad, and better yet, not poison or any other drug, for that matter. The smoke in my lungs heated the chill off my body from the inside, out. The small buzz from not smoking the previous evening woke me up just a little bit more than usual. Running a hand through my hair, I stared blankly at the concrete sidewalk.

_ 18, huh? _

I chuckled under my breath and took another drag.

_ And you _ just _ had your first kiss. _

I exhaled, shaking my head at the lame realization.

_ And with Izaya fucking Orihara _ .

I closed my eyes, burying my face in my hands, give for the cigarette that stuck out of the corner of my mouth. Flashbacks from the night before were a like a record playing on repeat in my mind.

_ I kissed him...I actually _ kissed _ him... _

"I...I kissed Izaya," I whispered to myself, as if finally admitting to the deed. Saying it out loud made me shiver. The feeling was finally sinking in. I didn't... _ regret it _ , necessarily, but the thought made me shift uncomfortably in my seat. The fact that I  _ kissed _ my mortal enemy. Or rather,  _ was _ my enemy. I had no idea how things stood between us now.  _ Especially _ now. Nonetheless, the majority of my discomfort wasn't because we used to hate each other. It was because...

"Dammit!" I hissed through my teeth.

I had never really thought about my sexuality. Like really sat down and asked myself: "Am I straight, or gay?" But right now, for some reason, that question was burning like a kindled fire in the back of my mind. It's not like I was against the  _ idea _ of liking a guy, but come on... _ IZAYA _ ?! Of all people?!

If someone would have told me a week ago that I was going to start liking the man whose guts I'd hated for the past four years, I'd have sent them to the hospital. But...kissing someone and  _ liking _ someone were two totally different things, right? Like, I guess I was just curious. Yeah, that's it.

I wasn't going to deny that the flea looked...better than most guys. From time to time I even thought that certain outfits looked very...fitting on him. But last night there was something more. A combination of his all black ensemble maybe? No, he always wore all black...The atmosphere? It  _ was _ kind of cheesy and romantic...How about how completely innocent he looked as he glowed angelically under the pink lighting? Maybe it was all of the above?

I sighed, crushing the stub of my cigarette that had burned to ash in the sand of the ashtray. As much as I wanted to try another one, smoking Izaya’s gift wasn’t resolving any part of the mental war my brain was having. I decided to savor the rest of my present and head back inside, seeing as I was already fashionably late to breakfast.

I entered the dining hall and walked towards the long table by the window my friends pushed together every morning to fit us all. When they saw me approaching, I heard snickers and whispers, most undeniably about me.

"Shh! There he is!"

"He's coming!"

"Shut up! Shut up!"

"One, two, three-"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" they all cheered loudly, out of sync and out of tune.

I couldn't help but smile inwardly at the effort and rub the back of my neck in embarrassment from all the other individuals in the room who looked up from their meals. It sort of made me forget it all. It was the break I needed from all the questions and thinking.

The other students in my class who were also dining around us, wished me a happy birthday as well. I even received a few pats on the back, strangely enough. I wasn't friends with any of them but I was...popular, in my own way. Or at least, everyone knew me in a somewhat fearful manner. It made me smile nonetheless.

I hung my jacket on the back of my chair and took a seat in front of Erika, with Izaya to my left.

"Ne, finally decided to show up, sleeping beauty?" Izaya chuckled, elbowing me as he got up from the table. I didn't pay him any mind as I bashfully avoided the gazes of my peers.

"Wow Shizuo, you're a pretty popular guy today!" Shinra said with a smile, pushing up his glasses.

I laughed and shook my head. "Nah, most of them just want to stay on my good side."

"We got you your favorite!" Erika stated happily, pointing to the prepared meal in front of me.

It was a huge stack of waffles, covered in strawberry toppings and whip cream. There was also a bowl of fresh strawberries on the side with ice cream and strawberry syrup.

"Wow,” was all I could say as I stared at the colourful, red and pink arrangement of strawberries lined up in a smiley face. It was more than just a little surprising and definitely overwhelming. “You guys didn't have to do all this for me-"

"Well, actually,” the brunette leaned in closer as she spoke in a whisper. “When we came down here to meet up with Izaya, it was already prepared.” We both looked down at the happy emoticon made of fruit as was beginning to slide around from the heat of the waffles. ”He said you  _ looooved _ strawberries~."

My heart fluttered for no reason at all when she let me in on the secret. I tried to swallow the lump that was forming in my throat that had nothing to do with how sickeningly heartwarming her story was. Not in the least bit. "But...is this even part of the buffet?" I whispered back, confused and slightly embarrassed at the open generosity the man had been showing me this morning.

She shrugged.

"How did he-?"

"Because I know everything, Shizu-chan."

The sudden voice behind me had me nearly leaping out of my skin as he set a tall glass of a creamy pink liquid in front of me and took his seat, sipping his own hot cup of coffee.

"Is...that...?"

"Strawberry milk? Your favourite? Yes. It is,” he stated matter-of-factually.

I was either too strangely astounded or too utterly creeped out _ -or both- _ that I couldn't even respond immediately. Nonetheless, I felt a blush flush to my cheeks either way.

Eventually I composed myself enough to thank him awkwardly for a  _ second _ time in the past hour. I ignored the strange facial expressions coming from the girl across from me and tried to eat peacefully. Finally, when she had focused on another conversation with the rest of the table, I turned my attention to the flea who was still quietly sipping at his mug.

"Seriously, how did you...?" I asked quietly not to regain the females attention.

He sighed with a dry smile. "I've known you for four years. Even  _ Shinra _ has paid enough attention to know about your strawberry fetish-that you _ don't _ hide, mind you." He laughed inwardly at his own joke. "You also forget my hobbies include observing people."

_ Well that much was true, I guess... _

"But I like to keep  _ special _ tabs on you, Shizu-chan,” he said clearing his throat, directing his attention to me. He was stirring his coffee aimlessly as he spoke. “I know all about what you like and dislike~."

I paused before my next bite to look him in the eye, only mildly disturbed by the way he wiggled his eyebrows with the lilt in his tone.

"Isn't that more like stalking?"

He chuckled and shook his head, then rested his chin in the hand that wasn't holding his drink. “You've always been more...of a  _ personal  _ interest of mine." He smirked the way he usually did when he was up to something.

I frowned and set down my fork. "'Personal' interest?" 

"If you hadn't noticed, you've always been a bit of extra trouble for me.” Though, the way he spoke didn't sound anything that resembled a complaint. "Of course I had to know more about you to push your buttons and get different reactions. It's quite simple."

Just when I was about to reply, our conversation was cut short when Erika spoke up.

"Did you two hear  _ any _ of that?"

"Of course, Erika, going to the arcade sounds like a fabulous way to spend a birthday." He still kept his eyes locked with mine as he spoke to the voice behind him.

_ How the hell did he do that anyway?! _

"Wouldn't you agree, Shizu-chan?" His eyes narrowed slightly in a challenging way. I couldn't read him all of the sudden so I just nodded in agreement.

After we were dismissed, the two of us went back up to the room for our wallets and I hung my jacket back in the closet. On the way up however, there were countless times where I’d notice the flea watching me from the corner of his eye. When I would catch him, he would just look away and pretend like nothing had happened. He was also standing closer than usual.

"Okay, you're being really weird." I finally spoke up when we were alone back in the room. "Like...more than usual."

He was facing away when he sighed heavily, then turned to me.

"You really  _ have _ caused a bit of trouble for me, you know" he said monotonously. "I wasn't lying." The sudden change in his mood took me by surprise. Perhaps I shouldn't have said it like that...

I knew we had had it out for each other since we met, but I thought things were fine the past few days. Shouldn't he be feeling the opposite? Now that we were finally getting along and not at each other's throats? It certainly made  _ my _ life easier.

_ Then again...last night we were more than just 'getting along'... That _ , however, was a subject I didn't particularly want to touch with a ten foot pole…

I missed the rest of his tangent about my being a nuisance, always inconveniencing him, etc., and swallowed my pride.

"L-look...I get it. If it was about last night...I-I don't know what came over me. I just-"

I was silenced by the finger he placed gently against my lips. It was scary, even to me, how easily I allowed him to shut me up.

"You really  _ are _ incomprehensibly dense," he sighed looking at me with a smile in pity. Before I had a chance to reply, his facial expression relaxed. "You like all things sweet...ne?" he breathed tenderly.

The entirely inapposite question and close proximity threw me off guard. Instead of asking for an elaboration, I raised an eyebrow, uncertain of my own voice and not wanting to disturb the index hushing me.

His garnet eyes looked into mine almost dreamingly. "Sweet things. I thought surely my charm would go over well with you..." Through his smile I could tell he looked a little hurt.

_ Shit. _

This whole time he was just trying to be genuinely kind to me...He really  _ must  _ have thought today was an important day, after all the trouble he went through to do these nice things...And here I was, trying to figure out his ulterior motives and being an inconsiderate douchebag.

I tried collecting myself to apologize for such a selfish mistake. "N-no I appreciate it!" I spoke with the pad of his finger moving as my mouth did. "I didn't mean-!"

"It's such a pain in the ass to act this endearing," he sighed, as he brushed his thumb over my lips soothingly. His eyes focused on my mouth as he caressed the skin; their usual mischievous glint returning. "It really cramps my style, you know?" He poked my nose and winked. "Besides, it's so  _ boring _ when Shizu-chan’s not getting flustered over my every move," he teased. "Where's the fun in that, ne?"

I sighed inwardly in relief.  _ Right, this was  _ Izaya _ we were talking about...He doesn't get discouraged that easily. _

It was second nature for me to smirk back at the normalcy. "Heh, yeah, that sinister face of yours really doesn't match up with your attempts at human decency."

"Where are your manners?" he pretended to gasp. "I think my face is quite lovely, actually," he said, stroking the smooth apple of his cheek.

"Of course you do. That's what they call, 'having an ego'."

He raised an eyebrow and chucked deprecatingly. "I don't know who you're trying to fool here, Shizu-chan. I  _ know _ you find me attractive too."

I was taken back by his blunt accusation and forgot how to form a proper sentence. "W-what are you even saying?" I laughed brokenly. "I mean, you're-you're a  _ guy _ !"

That probably wasn't my best comeback...

"Heh, how original," he scoffed, demeanor making a one-eighty. "And did that happen to just slip your mind last night or something?" he smirked condescendingly.

_ Fuck he had to throw me under the bus now, when I finally thought we were going to avoid the topic. _

"Sh-shut up flea! It was the lights or some shit!” I looked away from his predominate gaze, for I knew I'd only feel more ashamed.

"There you go, getting flustered again~,” he sneered.

I realized though, that it wasn't just me at fault here.

"You didn't exactly reject me either, now did you?"

"I could have~."

"But you didn't," I said flatly.

"Yes, that would have been rather embarrassing on your behalf, now wouldn't it?"

"Don't change the subject, flea! Admit it. You...did it too!" I stuttered, and I knew my face was tomato red, but like hell if I was gonna back down now.

He broke into sudden laugh. "What exactly is ' _ it' _ Shizu-chan? Do you mean our  _ kiss _ ?" Are you actually  _ that _ prude to not be able to say it out loud?" he said bewilderedly in disbelief.

"..."

"I know  _ exactly _ what's going on here," he stated, his voice coated in amusement.

"And what would  _ that _ be?" I asked between my teeth.

"You  _ like _ me. Don't you? You're so infatuated with me you can't even hide it~!"

I didn't respond with words, my actions spoke for me. I picked him up by the collar in fury. He simply laughed some more.

" _ Now _ you pretend to be Mr. Tough-Guy?" he snickered. "The red in your cheeks really makes your eyes sparkle, brute."

"Shut it flea, or my face won't be the only thing you see that's red!"

"Oh my!" he covered his mouth as he not-so-subtly giggled. "Are you suggesting you're blushing  _ elsewhere _ too, Shizu-chan? Isn't this a little sudden?"

"SHUT UP, YOU FUCKING PERVERT!" I shouted, nearly throwing him against the wall.

"Stop denying it, Shizu-chan! You're in  _ love _ with me!" he cried gleefully, ignoring my force.

"I SAID, SHUT THE HELL UP!"

"What are you going to do?  _ KISS ME _ again if I don't?!" he cackled.

"Oh yeah?” I let my grip relax a little bit as my voice lowered. “Two can play at that game."

I shut my eyes and closed in on his face until I stopped just centimeters from his lips. His sharp breath intake rang throughout the otherwise completely silent room.

I smirked and opened my eyes to look into his wide ones, still lingering away from his mouth.

"You wanna talk about denial?" I said in a gravelly voice laced with amusement. "Look in a fucking mirror."

"..."

His eyes were still wide when I dropped him to the ground and turned my back to pick up my wallet and walk out the door. With my hand still on the handle, I brought the other to my chest feeling the loud heartbeat pounding within it.

_ Shit,  _ I breathed heavily, _ that was close! _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo's birthday has begun! What exciting plans does Izaya have in mind? Will either of them EVER come to terms with their emotions? Stay tuned for Part 2 of Shizuo's Birthday Surprise! Ja ne~
> 
> ((another special thank you to Ryn and Feen for all your help!))


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry to all who have been waiting for this update. It came later than expected when my partner had to return home for a family emergency. So sorry for inconveniencing everyone when I promised a sooner chapter...  
> That's all the update for now, enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

 

_ That...that really just happened…! _

I shook my head as if I could possibly, just physically, shake off the overwhelming feeling of insecurity. My whole body was trembling. I hadn't expected such a serious chain reaction to follow such a simple question. The flea set me up...he had to've!

_ "Fuck!" _ I hissed under my breath between gritted teeth.

_ How? _ I asked myself.  _ How did I play into his hands so easily? He planned that whole conversation... _

The feeling of the handle turning on the other side of the door under my own had me jumping to the other side of the hall. The raven stepped out, and much to my dismay, had the same smug look plastered on his face as if nothing had ever happened. If I hadn't witnessed it for myself just now, I'd actually  _ believe _ the never-faltering, cynical act he put on for everyone else to see...Nonetheless, I knew he was just as cruel and heartless as before.

"What are you still loitering around here for?" he scoffed, and there was something more off-putting by his tone instead of his usual cheerful lilt. "Or did you just want to escort me?"

I didn't respond, but my eyes were like daggers. His gaze never did give in, but I knew that we both knew, he had very well crossed a line. There was a moment of silence between us.

"Oh, I see how it is,” he continued, canting his head to the side. His grin widened and his eyes narrowed. “You'd prefer me walk in front of you, right? Can't say I blame you though, it must be a pleasant view~," he chuckled, turning on his heel toward the elevator.

My glare never left him as I followed suit. The more I looked at him, I decided, the more annoyed I got. The way he pretended like things were fine was what pissed me off the most. He walked down the hall acting completely normal with his head still high and overconfidence in his strides. He wanted the world to know that nothing could break him.

We were silent all the way down to the South Wing of the building where the rest of our gang were waiting for us.

"We were just about to come looking for you two…” Shinra slowed down his pace, frowning as he approached us. His expression settling on skepticism as he looked between me and the flea. “Did something...happen here?"

I supposed the grim cast of my features, versus the flea's jubilant ones spoke for themselves.

"Nothing," I said distastefully.

"Not a thing~," the raven sang, shaking his head with a plastic smile.

"Riiiiight..." There was an amused disbelief in our bespectacled friend's response. A quick smirk flashed as he continued. "Anyway, now that we've waited an extra 20 minutes, which, I guess in  _ your _ cases was pretty quick-"

"Another word, Shinra!" I gritted, holding back the fumes of my temper.

"-we are all ready to go inside,” he clapped.

"Ah,” the raven chuckled, “what a sense of humor you have today, Shinra, but please, focus your erotic fantasies on your housekept-woman back home," he said patting the doctor-to-be’s shoulder as he walked by.

I followed my crowd into the dim room of the arcade. The only light source came from the flashing bulbs of the entertainment centers, black lighting in the ceiling panels, and a neon red EXIT sign in the far corner of the large room. The purple illuminating from above distorted the colours around me. Everything seemed like an unrealistic, trippy dream, from all of the bright colours and flashing lights; it was like I had walked into Wonderland. For example, the violet sweatshirt I was sporting, turned neon, and the white drawstrings and zipper glowed along with my shirt. Everyone around me looked animated from the obscure shadows cast by dim lights. The otherwise ebony walls and roof made everything seemed infinite. It was indeed a spacious room, though, what else should I have expected? There were aisles upon aisles of various consoles and automatons occupied by young gamers and teens. In all the commotion, my eyes didn't know where to start looking first.

Erika came up, tapping me on the shoulder, interrupting my observations. I bent down to listen to what she was saying, but it was hard to hear her with all the bells and buzzing ringing in the background. I was pretty sure she said something along the lines of finding a coin machine, when I read her lips.

There was a fairly long line when we found it, not that we were in any sort of rush. Few words were spoken due to the excessive noise, so I continued watching the bustling from where I stood.

I couldn't help but smile to myself at the memories the nostalgic room was bringing back to me. I hadn't been to an arcade since middle school; Kasuka and I always used to stop by the local one for an hour or so on our way home. On Friday nights we would blow our allowance, sometimes staying past dinner, which mom was never happy about. It was an exciting feeling, being able to experience it all over again. I felt the adrenaline start to pump from the recollections, my nerves itching to try out the same games from back in the day.

I let my eyes wander back to the line. I noticed It had shortened some, but I didn't dwell on it for long when my eyes stopped ahead of me.

The flea was standing a few meters away inserting a bill into the dispenser. The rattle of metal falling against metal quickened my heartbeat, for I knew it was his signal to kneel down and collect his change. I stared bashfully, regretfully, watching  him bend over as he reached into the little slot for the coins. I felt a blush creep on my face when his shirt rose ever so slightly, exposing the waistband of midnight purple, name brand briefs; enough to see the pale, small of his back. I couldn't help but lower my vision, stopping at the roundness of his lower posterior; the perfect curve of his dark jeans hugged his ass perfectly-

_ Good God, did I really just think that?! _

I bit my lip nervously as he casually stood back up to leave, but caught glimpse of me peeking before I could avert my eyes. He winked as he sashayed away with a knowing grin. Annoyed, I put a few hundred yen into the machine and took my pocket full of tokens distainly.

We all split up after that. As I walked around, I saw Kadota and Togusa playing air hockey and Erika and Yumasaki battling it out in Dance Dance Revolution. So far, I hadn’t run into the flea, nor Shinra.

I played PacMan, Street Fighter and the other classics. Some middle schoolers on winter holiday asked me if I wanted to play Mortal Kombat with them and I accepted. They were the type of kids that spent their entire break inside playing single games to master them and ask older teens like myself to a match. They were competition, I admit, but my skill level took years of experience (and many broken consoles), that I somehow managed to keep all this time.

I continued roaming around, eventually finding myself in a hallway much brighter than the way I had came. My eyes took a moment to adjust to the white LED’s paneling the ceiling. The luminescent entryway led to a new room, one in which I was surprised I didn’t see any traces of Erika nor Yumasaki’s path of destruction.

The well-illuminated chamber was decorated to be an otaku paradise. Anime characters and promotional posters were everywhere, on every wall, window and three-dimensional object. From the roof to the floorboards were pictures of school girls, idols, fantasy weapons, magical creatures and anything else you could possibly imagine related to Japanese animation. Even the music I could make out in the background behind the white noise of consoles were themes to anime. I figured if there was an otaku heaven, it would probably look something on par to this.

This was an entirely new dimension foreign to me. Sure, I had kept up with a few manga throughout my childhood and I would occasionally sit down with Kasuka to watch a series, so I  _ did _ recognize some of the characters-or had at least seen them around Sunshine City where all the anime hype was. But  _ this...This _ was overwhelming.

I found myself walking absentmindedly in no particular direction, passing hordes of teens surrounding the wall of gachapons, girls reading magazines, and guys fighting over whose turn it was to drive the racing stimulator. Everyone was glued to some sort of screen or glass enclosure full of stuffed animals and other prizes. I watched a kid for a straight five minutes insert coin after coin to try to knock down a boxed figurine of Ayanami Rei, crying out about his so called anime wife. I figured by the time he actually got it-who knew when that would be- hecould have probably bought the thing for the same price at the one of those figma stores or Animate.

I realized I had stopped walking; somehow my subconscious had led me to a claw machine full of mini boxed figures of a series I immediately recognized to be one of my brother’s favourite series. I supposed it was one of mine too. The iconic black flag with the skull and crossbones wearing a straw hat stood out among the rest of the automatons in it’s row. Not to mention, the toggle was replaced with pirate ship wheel made of out cheap plastic, painted to look like real wood. The One Piece appliance  _ was _ kind of cute, I had to admit...

I hesitantly scanned the premises before putting in one of my gold tokens to start the machine. I used to be a pro at games like these, and wanted to check if I still had that magic touch. I figured if I won, I could surprise Kasuka when I got home. If not, it really wasn’t a big deal...I was more curious than anything, and I promised myself I would only give into the temptation one time.

I searched around the glass frame for a prize I could easily reach. If I was lucky, I  _ might _ be able to even get his favourite character. In the scattered mess of figmas, they all wore different outfits from different arcs in the series. It really didn’t matter what clothes she wore, I just  _ had  _ to get him a Nami.

One prize in particular caught my eye, and I noticed it stuck up at just the right angle. I felt confident enough to give it a try.  _ One time only,  _ though.

I carefully moved the metal grabber off center. The awkward wheel felt even more foreign to me as I maneuvered the claw above the small toy, taking a deep breath before pressing the release button. My heart beat loudly in my ears as the clamp descended at a snail’s pace. It sunk into the pile of prizes half-assed, but managed to catch onto the box I had my eye on. There was a sigh of relief as the Nami I had captured transcended, and was carried to the corner where the winning slot was. However, I had thanked the gods too soon, when suddenly the little box slipped from the claw’s flimsy grasp.

In disbelief, I pressed myself against the transparent barrier, irritably wondering  _ how _ I hadn’t gotten that one. It was  _ right there.  _ I  _ had  _ it!

I huffed in annoyance, digging another coin from my pocket to start up the console once more. I figured if I had gotten it that far, I might as well finish what I started. And so, once again, I calculated my coordinates  _ right _ to where I knew the claw would precisely fall. I pushed the drop button, knowing that this time I had it for sure!

Only, fate denied my winnings once more.

“What the fuck?!” I hissed under my breath, foraging another coin from pocket. I nearly jammed the thing in the dispenser and impatiently waited for the steering wheel to turn on. It did, not fast enough though, to save me from accidentally hitting the button in the center releasing the clamp.

“ _ FUCK! _ ”

I pretended not to notice the group of strangers passing by giving me strange looks as I got out a fourth token, feeding it to the machine as gently as my trembling hands could manage. I let out another deep breath, moving the controller and aiming for the same box again.  _ This was the last time. _

_ Finally,  _ I captured Nami and brought her the rest of the way to safety, but...why wasn’t the clamp letting go.

“Maybe there’s a release button?” I mumbled, scratching my head, looking for the different options on the panel. But there wasn’t one.

“The hell kind of game is this?”

I thought very carefully about my strength, taking a quick glance around before giving the appliance the most delicate of taps with the toe of my shoe...Not that it mattered, because the cheap thing fucking dented a little anyway.

“ _ Shit shit shit!” _

I whipped around to see if anyone saw that-the last thing I needed was to get myself kicked out of here. I hadn’t even gotten my prize yet.

I turned back to face the claw machine, looking it dead in the eye, if it had any. “This isn’t over,” I whispered. I jostled the wheel a little to see if it would shake the crane, but to no avail. I sighed in even more grievance before pulling out my last gold coin, staring at it between my fingers. My only hope left. I sent an under the breath threat to if it didn’t work.

I inserted the coin. Waited for the machine to start. My heart was thrumming in my ears, the vein in my temple about ready to pop the minute I blew a fuse. And then-

IT FUCKING RESET BACK TO THE MIDDLE. There it was, just  _ dangling _ there,  _ taunting me _ with my Nami! I damn well knew that the game had tricked me into having to push the drop button to open the metal tongs in order for it to go back to the prize slot. It set me up!

No matter how much I moved the crane to get it to move back to the opening, all it did was shake the claw, and if  _ that _ wasn’t enough to drop the box, then the countdown on the timer sure enough would.

“This is why I like Robin more, you hear me?!” I was pressing my forehead against the glass, eyeing the box dangerously as the time hit 0:00 on the clock.

“Who are you even talking to?”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood straight up at the sound of his voice. It wasn’t accusing, nor taunting, like how I imagined he would approach me next, but rather, he sounded genuinely curious.

I turned to glance over my shoulder, meeting the raven’s gaze as he was leaning back with his arms crossed over his chest, standing against the wall. His expression was shown no concern to what I was doing, though I was sure he had been watching me somewhere, witnessing the whole thing.

“What do you want louse?” I responded equally as monotone.

“Oh, don’t mind me, I’m just a bystander.”

I turned back to the task at hand, eyeing the timer in the corner.

_ 3...2...1...Drop. _

I heaved a defeated sigh, slumping where I stood.

“I’m trying to focus. Can’t you be someone else’s problem?”

“I’m hurt,” he teased with a light chuckle. “Or is it that perhaps you are distracted by me~?”

“Flea-”

“No really, I’m just here to observe. Just pretend I’m not here.”

“It’s hard to do that when I can smell your flea stench from here,” I grumbled.

"Strange, because I'm excessively hygienic,” he stated matter-of-factually. “Then again, unless someone smells like an ashtray, it doesn't appeal to you.” I could sense the annoyed shrug behind me, so I turned.

“No,  _ you _ don’t appeal to me.”

“Look, I’ll admit that I’ve been watching you fail miserably at this claw machine for some time now.” He pushed himself off the wall and walked over to me, moving me out of the way as he stationed himself in command of the make believe pirate ship. “Which one do you want?”

I had to hold back a laugh at the thought that the louse was actually offering his  _ help _ . “You’re not helping me,” I said in disbelief.

“Really? Then what am I doing right now?” After he managed to pull a gold coin out of his pants pocket he inserted it into the machine without hesitation. “Now tell me, which one do you want?”

“You’re wasting your money. It doesn’t even work anyway.”

He rolled his eyes, elbowing me out of the way as he turned the steering wheel around to maneuver the claw. “Shizu-chan, if you don’t tell me which one you want  _ you’re  _ wasting my money.”

“What?! Why is this on me now?!”

“Just pick one!” he said agitatedly, “Or I will for you.”

“Ugh, fine! That one.”

“Pointing at a pile of toys isn’t telling me  _ which one _ , idiot. You’re getting whatever I get.”

“Doesn’t matter, you won’t-”

I wasn’t sure what I had done to deserve the figurative slap in the face, but dammit if he didn’t manage to pick one up without even batting an eye. I looked down at him, deadpanning. Of course the annoying sing-song chime of automated bells signifying a winner rang from the little machine. A sound I wasn’t able to get the stupid appliance to produce myself.

“Here.” I felt a palm-sized box being shoved at my chest as it finally hit me that the prize had actually made it out of the dispensary.

_ Was this karma for getting even with the flea?  _ I wondered. Then why was he being nice to me now?

“Shizu-chan...you can let go now.”

“Huh? Oh. S-sorry. Thanks, I guess.” I didn’t notice that I had held onto his hand a little longer than necessary in our exchange. “By the way...That was just luck, you know.”

“Oh?” he challenged, stopping before he was about to walk away. “Do I need to prove that it wasn’t.”

I shrugged, looking at the toy in my hand. It was Chopper.

“If you feel like you need to prove something,” I nodded towards the machine.

He smirked to himself repositioning once again and inserting a coin. “Fine by me. It was easy anyway,” he drawled out with a sly smile.

“You sure seem awfully confident…”

I watched him play effortlessly and in record time before he had randomly selected another prey. He moved it over to the drop box again to see who it was. He eyed it with a frown.

“Ah, this won’t do.”

“Wait, is that Nami?”

He handed it over to me. “Go wild.”

It  _ was _ Nami, but…

“Damn, I can’t give this to him.”

“Who?”

“Oh, my brother. I wanted to get one of her, but...This outfit is a little…”

I heard him snicker. “Scandalous?”

She was wearing what couldn’t even be considered a real bikini, since it just  _ barely _ covered her protruding breasts. Not something I would ideally be giving to my younger sibling. I just wasn’t  _ that _ kind of older brother.

“It would just be kind of weird, I think.”

“Alright, alright, one more. But  _ just _ because it’s your birthday,” he said with a wink.

The next one we got was Luffy, then Law, then Luffy again, Sanji, and finally Zoro. I told him he could stop at any time, that he really needn’t spend so much money on little trinkets, but he ignored my protest. I assumed he found the challenge as addictive as I had in the beginning.

“Why Nami?” he asked, after pulling out our third Luffy miniature figure.

“That’s Kasuka’s favourite character in the show.”

“Is that so...Isn’t he a little young to be...Ah, well I suppose not.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “Young for what?”

“Nothing.” The familiar tune sang again as we received a new character. “She’s different.”

“That’s Robin. She’s-”

“Your favourite, isn’t she?”

“Y-yeah, how’d you know? I didn’t know you liked One Piece too.”

“I don’t, I just had a feeling…” He responded in a tone I could tell was mixed emotions. “By the way, I almost forgot what I had come here to tell you in the first place. They have laser tagging here. We’re supposed to meet up with Shinra in about ten minutes,” he said checking the time on his cell phone.

“Laser tagging? They have that here?”

“Apparently.” The flea didn’t take his eyes away from the metal claw as he spoke.

“What _ don’t  _ they have here?” I asked rhetorically, not expecting an answer, but the flea spoke up.

He shrugged. "I don't know, but there's a lovely young lady at the front desk you can ask, that is, if you ever get the balls to approach a woman~." His sudden change in attitude caught me off guard.

“You realize Erika is a woman, right?” I said grimly after a moment.

"Hmm...but does she really count, though? She doesn't seem like your type," he smiled my way darkly.

“You don’t know  _ what _ my type is, flea.”

“I know it’s not her.”

“Okay, yeah, it isn’t her.”

He bent down to collect the new prize out of the little pocket. I couldn’t help but watch again like before. I cursed myself, looking away, as he stood. I saw in the corner of my eye that he was examining the package more carefully than he had with the others.

"I bet you like really busty girls anyway~," he teased. "All that anger signifies too much testosterone. It would only make sense for you to be attracted to someone with a copious amount of estrogen." He tossed the box for me to catch as he began to walk away. I caught it, looking at it and smiling to myself that he had managed to get a figure of another, less revealing version of Nami wearing Luffy’s hat.

“We’re not having that conversation,” I said pocketing the items in my hands.

“Oh? Is it because I’m right?” He turned to walk backwards with his hands behind his head, grinning like a cheshire cat.

I felt myself warm, not making eye contact. The image to come to mind was the first encounter I had with blonde girl I befriended in our class. “No…”

“Or are you an ass man?” He grinned sadistically at me when my gaze shot up to meet his. “Don’t think I didn’t catch you checking me out earlier~.”

“Don’t we have people to meet up with or something?” I asked between the grit of my teeth. I knew my blush was inevitable.

"That wasn't a no, Shizu-chan~, but ah, I suppose we shouldn't keep them waiting again...Shinra might think badly of us~," he snickered.

“Gross.”

We didn’t say anything else to each other as I followed the raven to the very edge of the arcade into a separate room divided by a neon green door marked with the words “Laser Room.” I wasn’t surprised for what was waiting behind it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There was a pretty major change in this one from the original, so I hope you liked it, to those of you who have read my work before. If you haven't, I still hope you liked this part. I really put a lot into this chapter, recollecting all of my experiences at the arcades in Tokyo. I really wanted to bring things to life, so I hope my descriptions made sense! Thank you all for your support <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello! I'm back again with an update ON TIME.  
> Seriously, thank you for all the kind words about authors taking their time. I get pretty bad anxiety over not publishing on my due dates and then I feel hella guilty for like a week :/ But you were all super encouraging, so here's a fun chapter for everyone to enjoy!  
> As far as some other updates go, well, I'll post them at the end. Happy reading!

_ Shizuo _

 

I followed the raven to the edge of the arcade into a separate room, divided by a neon green door. The first thing I noticed upon entering, was an inattentive man in his early 20's, flipping through a magazine, kicked back behind the counter. The room was similar to the black-lit one we had come from, same light fixtures and dark walls, only quieter. I could hardly hear the faint muffling behind me when the door closed.  _ Soundproof walls, _ I assumed.

The second thing I noticed, was that everyone else from our gang was already there, wearing bright pink wristbands.

"Funny how we're always waiting on you two." Shinra approached us smiling happily. "Glad you could make it."

"Don't get any ideas..." I mumbled distastefully under my breath.

Izaya and I walked up to the counter and were greeted tiredly by the weary cashier, decked in a Legend of Zelda T-shirt, tan cargo pants and a red pair of Chuck Taylor's, currently resting on top the desk. He lowered his magazine to look at us both indifferently. Letting out a suppressed sigh, he rolled the chair over to the computer to ring us up, scratching his rough facial hair idly, as he clicked away. Opening a drawer, he ripped apart two neon wristbands. Izaya and I held out our arms after paying as he stuck the bands around them.

"Neither of you are epileptic, right?" His voice was monotonous and dry.

We shook our heads.

"Alright, well, if the flashing lights start bothering you, find one of the staff members by the door and they'll escort you out. It will be dark, so watch your step and try not to run face first into anything..." he recited apathetically. "In case of an emergency, the lights will come on and you'll be asked to exit the game arena. We keep track of how many of you go in, and ask for your cooperation so we don't have to go looking for you. If you have any other questions look for someone wearing a yellow vest."

He finished by sitting back down in his swivel chair and picking up his magazine once again. We stood there awkwardly, speechless, and unsure if he had anything else to say, but he just flipped a page. Without even looking up, still aware of our presence, he pointed a thumb toward a dark hallway, which we all assumed to be the way to the game room.

The seven of us followed down the entranceway into small cubbyhole with a large TV screen that took over most of the wall. There were several other kids our age, a couple even from our school, in the little auditorium that barely accommodated all sixteen-I counted-of us. Everyone had to sit through a short video that basically repeated the list of rules and precautions already told to us before we were allowed any further. We were then moved into the next chamber, which was completely lit up with the LED's flashing in the rows of different coloured vests and phasers attached. Greens, blues, and reds were hung up on different bars for separate teams.

I felt a slap on the back and turned my head to see Shinra smiling up at me in the crowd.

"Soooo...are you and Izaya going to team up again, then?" he asked with amusement.

"No," I said flatly, shrugging him off.

Speak of the devil, Izaya, who popped up on my other side already decorated in a red vest, scoffed.

"It's not like his strength is going to do me any good in a game such as this...Besides, I'm sure Shizu-chan is getting all hot thinking about chasing after me again, ne~?" He sang, jabbing my ribs.

"Tch, like hell. You're goin' down, flea," I declared, as I grabbed a blue vest and snapped it on. I held the phaser to his chest.

"Ne, Shizu-chan," he grinned up at me, red eyes gleaming in the vibrant light, "if you're going to kill me, promise me you'll do it in fashion~. I’d hate to go out without a  _ bang _ ," he cooed as he brushed past me with a wink.

Even Shinra made no comment as our eyes followed the raven out the door. I didn't dare look down at the brunette beside me to know that he was grinning that smarmy grin he wore when he was up to something. It was  _ almost  _ as bad as the damn flea.

“You say anything, you're dead.”

The bell rang to signify the game was about to begin.

My team consisted of Shinra, Kadota and few other students we didn't know as well. Izaya decided he wanted to be his own team, but was grouped with a several girls, which left the other three; Erika, Yumasaki, and Togusa, with the remaining people. Once everyone was ready, a monotone voiceover of a woman speaking aired from the surround sound, giving us instructions for our "mission". Alas, the doors to the multilevel coliseum opened.

Everyone dispersed in different directions into the maze. I began to wonder on the bottom floor of the arena with Shinra, and Kadota agreed to go upstairs.

"Soooo-"

"Don't even start with me," I said firmly.

"Aw, come on, Shizuo. You've barely said anything this entire trip...In fact~, I haven't heard you complain about him at all these past few days," he said teasingly, nudging me with his elbow.

I sighed. "Okay, what's your point?"

"I'm just curious as to why, that's all."

I pondered for a minute.

_ Well Shinra, if you must know, after having several erotic dreams about him, my subconscious insisted I get to know him. And by 'get to know him', I mean we've shared a bed more times than not this trip, he's made at least a hundred sexual innuendos towards me, and I kissed him last night for no reason whatsoever. _

I kept my gaze straight ahead so he couldn't read my expression.

"'Dunno...'Guess he's just backed off..." That was anything but the truth.

"Eh? You think so?"

"Erm...Yeah, I suppose," I said, not sounding at all convincing.

"Well I'm definitely surprised...I thought for sure you guys would have to be separated again..." he trailed off in thought, before he whispered just loud enough for me to hear the sly smirk to his voice. "Or  _ maybe _ , you don't want to be separated."

I faltered for a second and stopped, then my brows creased. "What makes you say that," I lowered my voice irritably.

"Oh, nothing, nothing. Forget I said anything!" The brunette laughed off as he kept walking, obviously sensing my intimidation.

I grabbed the back of his collar bringing him to a halt.

"Shinra," I said expectantly, my patience wearing thin.

"It's nothing, Shizuo, you know us...word just gets around, assumptions are made-"

I felt a growl rise in my throat. "What. Assumptions. Exactly?"

"Shizuo," he said in a now serious tone. "You know I'm not one to gossip-"

"Bullshit. Tell me what people are saying about us," I snapped.

"...Us?" he inquired, laced with amusement, pushing up his glasses.

I forced him against the wall with my grip on the front of his vest.

"You know damn well what I mean." I said through my teeth.

I wasn't usually rough with Shinra, especially, but he knew better than to pick  _ this _ battle.

He sighed in defeat.

"Okay, someone just happened to be there when you two-"

_ Pew! Pew! _

I felt my vest, as well as my friend's, buzz and sound of the laser effect, and let go of the brunette as we searched for the enemy.

Standing behind a corner were two guys illuminated in green shooting at us. Instinctively, we darted to the nearest hiding spot trying to dodge their attacks, bringing up our own weapons to start firing.

Then suddenly, our vests vibrated and rang again, this time, someone was aiming behind us; more people from the green team.

"Dammit!" I heard Shinra curse under his breath.

He continued to shoot at the first two as I took care of the kid to our back. Whoever he was, was getting ambushed by the girls wearing red and darted off with them at his heels, giggling after him. One of them stopped and noticed me though, with no barrier between us.

"Hey, Shinra-" I turned to tap the brunette on the shoulder and tell him to get the hell out, but he was nowhere in sight.

_ Of fucking course... _

He could have gone in any direction, and I was being shot at from both sides, so I sprinted at random to leave the red team and green team to fight it out among themselves.

The room was echoing with shouting, buzzing, and laser effects. Lights flashed between walls and around every corner as people ran by in a chase.

I had seen Togusa, and in the corner of my eye I noticed Kadota standing on the second floor sniping him. I slowed down when I passed Shinra on my way to the stairs. He had been cornered by three girls at point blank. I smiled to myself and kept walking until I found a hiding space underneath the second floor. It didn't seem like anyone could see me due to all the obstacles and fences blocking the the view. I however, was able to see people walking outside from the holes in the wall.

It was quieter down here, so I was able to stop for a moment and catch my breath safely. I had to slouch in order to stand though, because I was on the taller end of the spectrum.

Continuing my exploration of the tight space that was a maze in itself, I was still wary that others could be lurking anywhere for their next victim. It was nearly impossible to hide due to flashing lights of the equipment. Right when I was about to turn the corner, a red hue emanated against the dark background.

I reflexively held my breath and jumped back behind the wall, listening for movement.

A minute of silence had passed, and I concluded that I would attempt a surprise attack, having gone unnoticed for this long. I inhaled and exhaled slowly and quietly, only hearing my own heart beat loudly in my ears.

_ On the count of three...One...Two...Three-! _

I jumped out and quickly fired a few rounds at the target. Only the audio effects resounded off the walls, and nothing else. That's when I noticed my 'target' hadn't been a person, but simply a blinking red vest laying on the ground.

I lowered my weapon, and stared at it skeptically, when it hit me. Not a gun shot, but a firm grab to my backside.

"Looking for me~?"

I nearly dropped my armor in start when I felt the sudden contact.

"Flea-?!"

"Because I've been looking for you," he said in a low voice. "In fact, I've been trying to get you alone ever since that little stunt you pulled~," he continued to grope me.

I whipped around to grab him by the neck, but he dodged gracefully.

It was extremely difficult to see him when he wasn't wearing anything but black against the black backdrop. I swung aimlessly to where I thought I saw his pale skin shine under my decorative blue lights. Each time I thought I had him he would jump back and disappear, chuckling darkly, elsewhere.

I stopped trying to catch him and stood as straight as I could with the low ceiling, concentrating my glare ahead.

"'The fuck do you want, louse?!" I said into the void.

"I told you," he chuckled ominously. "I just want you alone."

I felt my neck hair rise.

"Why?" I asked, my expression glowering more.

The glow of my vest brought his face into view as he approached me stealthily, with garnet eyes full of mischief.

"As if you really need to ask such an inane question," he scoffed, looking directly into my gaze, too close for comfort.

I felt his cold fingers brush against my arm, making the hair stand on end. His nails trailed up to my shoulder leaving goosebumps in their wake. His other hand found it's way to my chest and the clicking sound of the first belt of the vest coming undone shook me from my daze. That's when I felt my heart beat harder and harder as my palms and neck started to sweat a little. My breathing had become louder through my nose when he undid the second one.

I didn't know why I was hesitating to stop him and end it here, once and for all. I could push him off and walk back out into the commotion at any time. Or even better, he would be the one to back off and laugh about it as a joke, call me some stupid name and try to belittle me like he always did.

But when the heavy crash of plastic hit the ground, I could tell he wasn't trying to be funny.

I swallowed hard in my dry throat as he pushed my dumbfounded body into a corner, causing me to trip over the fallen item, hitting the floor. He kicked the light source away with his foot so it was almost a completely caliginous atmosphere.

I laid there, not saying anything, with eyes dilated and wide, as he shifted on top of me.

"This is more like it, ne,  _ Shi-zu-chan _ ?" he said, his voice thick and hushed, as he straddled my waist.

"Flea?" My voice was shaking in a suppressed panic. "What are you doing...?" I asked as calmly as I could, propping myself on my elbows.

"Proving my point, of course."

He slowly lowered himself down to my hips, his palms balancing himself on my stomach, as he began to rock back and forth lazily, with no hesitation. When he found a steady pace, his hand moved up to the drawstring of my jacket, tugging gently.

"F-flea?" My heart began to pound harder when I heard the zipper pulling down the front of my chest.

"Relax," he cooed softly, smirking down at me.

I couldn't focus on anything besides the weight centered on my lap and the rubbing of fabric between us.

"This position seems to be to your liking, wouldn't you agree~?" He spoke close to my face, and with each word I felt his warm breath grace my skin.

My heart was racing and I felt like I was burning up when he shrugged my jacket off one of my shoulders. His cool fingertips traced down from the back of my neck to my collarbone as he leaned even closer, still rolling his hips slowly back and forth.

"Izaya, this isn't-"  _ funny?  _ "-a good idea...!"

The friction dragging it's way along my lower half didn't falter, and I could feel myself getting aroused. I thought he was going to say some snide remark about it, but instead his response was:

"Why? It's not like anyone else is around?" he whispered into my ear.

"That's-that's not the problem here!"

He changed his angle so that I could  _ feel _ the crease of his ass as his legs spread around me. I let out a shaky exhale, balling my fists. I dropped my head so I couldn't look at him directly, even though I doubt he could see it in the dark in the first place.

"Feels good, ne?" he breathed.

I felt beads of sweat forming under my bangs. His voice no longer sounded taunting; instead it was smooth and seductive. I experimentally shifted my hips under the pressure, and immediately regretted it because it just made me want to do it again.

I heard him hum in approval as he spoke. "That didn't take long."

I scowled back at him now. "If you just wanted to prove your point, why are you still doing this," I said through clenched teeth.

"Hmm, I wonder..."

He changed his position once more, and if I wasn't already blushing before I certainly was now.

_ Oh...That's why. He was getting off to the fact that he was doing this to me... _

He bent down to my ear and purred, " _ now we're even, _ " snapping me out of my trance. By that time, he got off of me, stood up and started to walk away.

Before even realizing what I was doing, I was already up, grabbing his wrists and pinning him aimlessly against the wall. The faded red and blue lights blinking out of sync around the corner were my only gauge of how we were positioned. I held both hands above his head effortlessly, but he didn't struggle. I waited for him to break the silence as I thought about my next move.

"Couldn't get enough, could you?"

I spun him around to face the wall, catching him off guard.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" I said pulling his hips back against my own. I bent forward so that I was speaking directly into his ear, his hair brushing against my nose as I did so. "As much of an idiot as you claim me to be, at least I'm perceptive," I began. "Don't think I don't realize what your intentions are here, flea." I paused, but he continued to listen without interrupting me. "The more I think about it, the more I've come to realize that this isn't how you usually play your stupid games with people. I know you, and I know you go out of your way to make people's lives hell...but I really don't think you would go  _ this  _ far without some other purpose...Believe it or not, it's not difficult to read you."

I could feel his hands tense under my grip.

"There's another reason you've only been targeting me, isn't there?"

"Hmph...Since when did you pick up the hobby of observing people? Or am I just rubbing off on you?" he chuckled deviously. "Now let me ask you, what exactly do you think my so called 'intentions' are?"

I laughed at that.

"This is exactly what I mean when I say it's not hard to read you...Every time  _ you're _ the one cornered in a conversation you pull this evasive shit and try to turn the conversation around. You might be able to manipulate other people when you talk to them, but I see right through you."

I could feel the grin forming on my face, knowing that I had him exactly where I wanted him.

"That," I said, with enough confidence to lower my hand to his inner thigh, causing his sharp inhale, "and your body language gives you away."

As if on cue, all the lights came on in the arena.

"Please find your way to the exit, the game is now over," the prerecorded, monotone voice rang through the speakers.

I stepped back from the flea who dropped his hands lifelessly to his sides, content with his silent responses. However, an unsettling feeling fell over me when  _ somewhere, _ I must have miscalculated my advances. To my astoundment, when he turned to face me, he was smirking.

"You never cease to entertain me, Shizu-chan."

My eyes widened as I didn't expect him to so blatantly stick a hand down his pants to shift whatever was making his skinny jeans uncomfortably tight. I blinked a few times swallowing hard, as I thought that I should probably do the same...

I felt a little awkward as I slipped my vest back on, not bothering to buckle the clasps as we made our way toward the exit. I studied him as I followed him out the door back into the room lit up by the rows of pulsating lights.

His reaction wasn't at all what I predicted, I thought, as I hung up my vest, still keeping an eye on him. I was even more curious as to how he would act for the remainder of the day.

_ Two can play at this game. _

We left that room and into the one where we first entered, where everyone gathered around the big TV screen with the results from the game. I didn't even bother to look up at first, seeing as I hadn't really participated.

Then it dawned on me.

"Well, well, well," I heard Shinra's voice behind me.

_ " _ Looks like you have the second lowest score...Next to Izaya, that is."

_ Shit. _

"Come to think of it, I didn't see either of you at all...And we were in there for," he checked his wristwatch, "over thirty minutes."

"Well...maybe if you hadn't ditched me within the first  _ five _ -"

Shinra gave me an expectant look.

"..."

"..."

"...Fuck off."

He burst into laughter and I just walked away. At least I had somewhat settled the score with the flea. I would deal with Shinra later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alrighty, so you got some fan service with this one, but the next couple will be even quenching. The next two or three chapters will still be on the day (night) of Shizuo's birthday. I wanted to fit in a LOT on such an important day, so you get like 5 chapters out of it lol. I'm hoping the next one will come soon? I have to start cracking down on getting some school/financial/scholarship paperwork taken care of before things need to be turned in in October. So I'll try to keep you posted on when I might be on hiatus for a week or two. Thankfully, I'm not in a super hurry to get everything filed, since I won't be attending school until next fall? But I have a lot of financial crap to take care of since I'm applying to a school out of the country-Woohoo!  
> SO. That won't stop me from updating, I might just have to push the pause button for a bit sometime within the next couple months? Also, fare warning that I will also be away like the third weekend of October, so I'll work out updating either a double or midweek when the time gets closer. Other than that, I hope everyone who is starting school now likes their teachers and classes and had a nice summer? I'll do my homework too, and update on time XD See you next week! Thank you all again!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm early??? What?? At least by a few hours. But oh boy, do I have news for you.  
> So I had to break this chapter into two parts-one in Izaya's pov and one in Shizuo's. We'll just label this chapter as the pregame before Shizuo's 'birthday surprise'. ;} That being said, they are kind of extensive? But that's good because it has a lot of information! (And other goodness).  
> So what's the other good news? I'm going to post Part II tomorrow night *sunglasses emoji*, because you all deserve it. Plus I know it would drive me crazy if I knew what things were leading up to and then have to break it with a weeks worth of waiting.  
> So without further ado, enjoy Izaya's chapter!

_ Izaya _

I studied the array of clothes scattered on my bed, made in various styles and fabrics. All in slightly different shades of black, dark black, light black, ebony, onyx, charcoal, jet, etc.

Why on earth was I worried about something so trivial? Out of all the wonderful assortments of outfits I had, tonight, I could not for the life of me, decide what to wear.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose as I shook my head.

There was no reason for me to feel this anxious. It was just a small get together with some friends and some booze, right?

Not that I even drank, since I have no need to. What could I possibly benefit from it? It just causes people to act more stupid than they already are. I liked to have full awareness of my body and mentality without the interference of foreign substances. The human emotions provide more than enough instability, there's no reason for me to add to it with cheap liquor...And more importantly, I have to be in control  _ especially  _ around someone so...obstinate...

I decided to go with a cashmere, long sleeve shirt with a low collar; an overly priced pair of briefs (black), and the dark designer jeans I always wore for special occasions.

I heard the bathroom door open behind me and smirked.

"Ne, Shizu-chan~," I turned to face the blonde, who, much to my dismay, had brought his change of clothes into the shower with him, stood before me with a plain T-shirt and pajama pants in tact.

_ Don't get ahead of yourself, Izaya,  _ I scolded myself.

"What."

"Tell me this outfit looks good on me~," I said playfully.

"What? Why?" he stared at me skeptically regarding the sudden question.

"Do you disagree?" I questioned him.

"I didn't say that,” he responded flatly.

"So you do agree?" my voice was teasing again.

"I didn't say that, either," he knitted his eyebrows, saying it flatly.

"Well which is it then?" I said, putting a hand on my hip.

"Fuck, I don't know. What do you want me to say? Yeah, sure, flea, you look great...Black is  _ really _ your colour," he said smartly, occupying himself with folding his laundry.

"If you can put enough effort into being sarcastic, you can at least give me an opinion."

He stopped to look up at me from head to toe to head again. I felt myself heat up a little as he studied my body in thought.

After a moment he sighed.

"Yeah. You look fine. I don't know why you're asking me though, I barely have a clue to dress myself-"

"Would you like some assistance then~?" I cooed, before he could take it back.

He snorted. "Yeah, let me take advice from the goth kid," he said with a smug look.

My expression changed drastically.

"I am by no means  _ 'goth' _ -" I said defensively before it was his turn to interrupt me.

"I never said it was a bad thing,” he sighed, and I saw him attempt to bite back a smile as he focused on folding his clothes. I was taken back for a moment when I realized-

"Shizuo Heiwajima," I used his full name for the first time in how long, "are you  _ flirting _ with me?" I tried sounding more astonished than excited. Not sure if it worked.

"Nope," he said nonchalantly, nearly popping the last syllable.

I felt blood rush to my face at his change of attitude.

I had never seen him behave this way. Even the times I had followed him around secretly at school, he never used this tone of voice when he talked to the few girls that approached him-or anyone else for that matter.

"Why the sudden change in heart, Shizu-chan? Are you finally coming to terms with yourself?"

"What, am I not allowed to be in a good mood on my birthday?  _ You _ were the one who made such a big fucking deal out of it anyway," he said raising an eyebrow.

"Ah, I suppose I did, didn't I..." I said with a content sigh.

Shizuo finished picking out his clothes-a slim fitting, teal, button up shirt-the top few buttons undone-a black blazer with a high collar, and a pair of dark grey jeans. The particular shade of green-blue made his caramel eyes look more inviting than usual. Needless to say, he looked rather handsome.

As we were about to step out the door, I remembered something.

"Oh, hold on a moment," I said turning back into the room for the bathroom.

"Huh? What is it," he called back to me.

I was looking through my black traveling case for what I had suddenly remembered. When I found it I smirked.

"It's nothing, I just misplaced something~," I said, placing the little vial on top the nightstand.

I came back with a triumphant smile on my face and he raised an eyebrow.

"What was that about?"

"Nothing, nothing to worry about."

The quizzical expression remained, but he didn't question me further as we made our leave of the room. I knocked melodically on the door across the hall with the blonde behind me.

Kadota greeted us with a smile and a bottle of Hitachino Ale in his hand.

Everyone who was usually with us seemed to already be there, as we walked in. All were dressed casually, and sitting comfortably on the various furniture in the room. Several bottles of alcohol were lined up on the counter and everyone had a red solo cup in their hand.

Togusa was playing Smash Bros on the GameCube, Erika was leaning over the counter, talking enthusiastically to Yumasaki, who was pouring himself another glass; and Shinra was texting and sipping his drink on the couch. He looked up from his phone and greeted us with a smile across the room as we entered.

"Look who finally-"

" _ SHINRA!"  _ Shizuo and I snapped at him in unison, making everyone jump and look our way.

The blonde and I shared an awkward side glance that, having just arrived, already making ourselves the center of attention, we knew weren't helping either of our cases.

A moment passed and everyone went back to what they were doing again and Kadota shut the door behind us.

"Care for a drink?"

"Yes,  _ please. _ " I shuffled away from the brute toward the kitchenette.

Erika handed me a measured cup of the stale, putrid liquid, in which I nodded in thanks.

I brought the plastic to my lips and nearly gagged at the repugnant stench. Eyes were on me, so I pretended to swallow and walked away without question. The whole night will probably consist of pouring booze down the sink or on a helpless decorative plant.

I took a seat next to our doctor-to-be friend, but said nothing and focused on Togusa slaying Kirby with Meta Knight. My eyes wondered around the room as I tried to strategically plan how the evening would go. Shinra looked up from his mobile device and I could feel him watch me as I watched Shizuo being handed a glass. My heart rate peaked as I tried to imagine what he would be like under the influence.

"Has he ever drank with you before, Shinra?" I needn't say who.

"Nope," he sighed. "To be honest, as long as I've known him, I still didn't know where he stood on alcohol. It's kinda surprising to see him take it."

We watched the blonde take a sip from the cup he was holding, standing awkwardly in the kitchen with his usual poor posture.

"It  _ is _ his birthday, after all," I said taking that into consideration.

"Yeah...I doubt he'll get, like, shit-faced, though," he laughed at his own vulgarity. "He doesn't seem like the type."

"Shizu-chan  _ is  _ full of surprises..." I chuckled darkly bringing the glass up to my mouth again.

Kadota came over to take a seat next to us.

"Why do  _ you _ two look so serious?" I could smell his tainted breath as he spoke.

_ How revolting. _

"No reason...This party's just lame," I said disappointingly.

"Well sorry you're so difficult to entertain," he said flatly.

"Seriously, there's not even music playing. All I've heard is the Mario theme song since I got here. You shouldn't make being a host your profession in the future, just FYI."

"Damn, Izaya, you're saltier than usual," Shinra snickered next to me.

"Yeah, stop complaining and go get a beer. Maybe  _ then _ you'll loosen up."

I scoffed. "Beer isn't classy, so I'll have to respectfully decline. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to use the restroom."

I rose to my feet and walked across the living area to the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Without a second thought, I immediately poured the clear liquid down the drain with a scowl on my face.

I looked in the mirror massaging my temples.

"He's right Izaya, you  _ do  _ need to loosen up..." I said looking carefully at my complexion, tapping my cheeks.

I took a deep breath. I couldn't allow my nerves to get the best of me. I was an excellent actor; why  _ now, _ of all times, was my talent failing me...

I gave myself a mental pep talk to relax, and cleared my throat.

When I left the room, there was finally some music playing. Loud, but not enough to disturb the neighboring rooms.

Shinra had moved to get himself another glass of Sake, now conversing with Erika, Yumasaki and Togusa, while Shizuo and Kadota sat on the couch. I joined the conversation at the makeshift 'bar', pouring myself another glass of alcohol. I positioned myself over the trash can for safe measure.

"Izaya, in all honesty, I didn't really expect you to drink either," Shinra said next to me. "I assumed you thought it was 'dirty' or something."

_ It is,  _ I smirked.

"I'm just doing the same as you, trying to have a good time~."

"Yeah, but you drank that kind of fast, don't ya think? Don't take what Kadota said to heart."

I chuckled. "Do you honestly think that offended me? Shinra, you must not know me as well as you think you do. Besides, I'll inform you that I have a bit of a tolerance."

"Is that so?" he said amused, not sounding all that convinced.

"Mhmm~," I said taking another pretend sip.

"I wonder what Shizu-chan's tolerance is," Erika said across the counter.

I felt my eye twitch and coughed mid 'sip' when she used  _ my  _ pet name.

"What...was that name you used just now?" I said raising an eyebrow to her.

She, and everyone around us knew she had crossed a line.

"It was just a joke," she laughed off nervously, waving her hands in defense.

"No, no, don't worry,  _ I'm _ not mad or anything." I gave her a friendly smile to reassure her. "I just wouldn't say that within earshot of him-” I nodded to the blonde sitting comfortably on the couch. “If you know what's best for you," I whispered, bringing the cup to my lips once more.

Shinra chuckled under his breath, but I ignored it.

The four of us continued to chat about meaningless things I cared nothing about. All the while, I was going through glass after glass, pouring my beverages secretly down the sink or in the trash bin. Slowly, I began to loosen up when the people around me started slurring their words and laughing more often than not, with faces starting to redden at the cheeks. I too joined them, pretending to be equally tipsy.

I reached for the half full bottle of Shōchū absentmindedly, when our hands met. Our eyes locked immediately with challenging expressions, and everything around us fell silent.

Time slowed, then an unfortunate, uninvited thought popped into my head as we stared each other down.

_ Why _ did my mind have to automatically create scenarios at lightning speed; coming to conclusions that gave me goosebumps because I longed for... _ lived _ for such disorder. Chaos. Dysfunction. Because I too, was unpredictable. Always asking myself, ' _ what could I do  _ now  _ that would make things more interesting?' _ It had become a second nature over the years to push limits, always with the knowledge that I would benefit from it in the end. I always pressed for more. Something better than the last,  _ needing  _ that kind of rush.

And so I pushed.

"Ne,  _ Shi-zu-chan? _ " I sang playfully.

He gave me a questioning look, raising his eyebrow in surprise of my current state and grunted, "huh?"

"What say we play a little game, hmm~?"

Kadota sighed, probably in concern about the well-being of his hotel room, while Shinra and Erika perked up at my inquisition.

He snorted with a suggestive smile just to muse me. " _ Now  _ what kind of fucked up thing is going on in that flea brain of yours?"

"Wouldn't  _ you _ like to know~...Actually, though, I was thinking something more along the lines of a drinking game...You do know what those are right? I can never be too sure how far your brain has matured to understand what people do at social gatherings at this day in age."

"Tch," he said looking around everyone's gaze on us. "Go on?"

"We'll start easy. You've broken enough bones in the human body to have a basic knowledge of their various names, correct?"

"'Guess so, yeah. What's your point?"

"We will take turns going back and forth naming a different bone, and if either of us repeats it, they have to take a shot, in also of which we will change the category."

The blonde nodded contemplatively in thought then came to a conclusion with an ambitious grin. "You're on, louse."

"Now  _ this,  _ should be interesting," Shinra said standing back from the counter to make room.

Shizuo positioned himself across the bar from me and Erika and Yumasaki handed us both our measured glasses.

"Izaya, if Shizuo breaks anything, you're paying for it," Kadota stated, but there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Then it's a good thing these are plastic, ne?" I cheered, toasting my glass with Shizuo's. "Femur."

"Radius."

"Navicular."

"Metacarpus."

"Maxilla."

"Occipital."

"First cervical vertabra."

"Mandible."

" _ Phalanges~, _ " I said brushing my fingers against his, teasingly.

He pulled away and flicked the bridge of my nose. "Nasal."

"Zygomatic."

"Humerus."

"Clavicle."

"Ribs."

"Ah, this takes me back to all the times I used to visit Shizuo in the hospital..." Shinra sighed at the memories.

"Ulna..." he gave the brunette a sidelong glance.

I chuckled. "Mandi- _ shit _ ...!" I bit back, but the damage had been done. I could tell from the surprised faces around me, I had definitely made the first mistake.

Shizuo gave me a smug look, expectantly.

I sighed and reluctantly brought the cup I was holding to said  _ mandible _ , and downed my shot quickly.

It didn't just hurt, it  _ burned _ my throat. As if I had just lit a match and swallowed it whole. I shuddered trying to hold myself together.

_ Another reason why I didn't drink... _

My teary eyes looked up into molten ones that had an unfamiliar glint to them.

"Don't get cocky just yet, Shizu-chan," I smiled back cheerfully, my voice raspier than usual. "I see your medical records are as astounding as ever, then. Hmm...Why don't we have someone else choose a topic. That would be fairer, ne?"

He scoffed. "Fine by me."

I looked around. "Anyone from the peanut gallery have a category in mind?"

Kadota suggested countries, in which Shizuo didn't last long. Shinra threw in medical diseases; Yumasaki  said something manga related, which ended with both the blonde and I taking shots after coming to a blank. Pokemon was next, which wasn't my forte either, and so on, but the game ended soon after, as did everyone's attention span.

It wasn't but the fourth shot in when I started noticing a change in myself. The room had definitely gotten warmer. I could feel my blood getting hotter, like my skin wanted to start sweating, especially under all the black I was wearing. I was constantly tugging at my collar to loosen the shirt around my neck, and I regretted not wearing layers that I could just take off.

My breaths felt heavier than usual, more so when I laughed. I could feel my pulse increasing in my ears and I knew my cheeks were probably a nice shade of rouge by now. At least I was aware of the slight slur to my words, but I did nothing to try to stop it. I was noticing that some of my underlying characteristics were beginning to surface. I noted that I was even more eccentric when I was tipsy; more melodramatic, and my flamboyance was even more apparent.

I caught myself watching the tall blonde in the corner of my eye, talking and laughing with thee others. I mentally recorded every fine detail I hadn't previously bothered to study until now. He made a couple of side glances my way, but didn't react, other than noticing my existence as he was conversing with someone else. He would check again, and our eyes would meet as I saw him giving a halfhearted attempt to focus at what Kadota was saying. He would end up smiling a little and shaking his head ever so slightly as his own way of acknowledging me, obviously not as engrossed as Dotachin thought he was.

He had a crooked smile, I knew that much. Not his teeth, no, they were perfectly aligned from when he had braces in middle school; but his smile was always off center when he  _ did  _ smile. He had only one dimple. His canines were pointier than your average person (as expected from a monster), I saw, the few times he  _ did _ flash a grin. And  _ when  _ he did, I could feel my chest flutter a little. There were also times when he finished his sentence, he would lick his lips. I couldn't help but do the same, wondering their taste. Salty, probably, and maybe a very stale taste of cigarettes, like the night before.

When Kadota's attention was directed elsewhere, I wasn't sure what compelled me, but I sauntered my way over to where Shizuo was standing at the far end of the bar. I settled into the space Dotachin had been occupying, while the blonde straightened up from leaning on his elbows to face me, giving me an amused expression.

"Didn't think you had it in ya, flea," he smirked taking a swig of his drink.

"I could say the same. I almost bet money that you were too much of a prude to even hold an alcoholic beverage..." I feigned a sigh. "I must say though, I'm not surprised that it hasn't had an effect...Or maybe you aren't actually drinking it,  _ hmm~? _ " I hummed, leaning closer.

"Heh,  _ YOU _ on the other hand," he said taking the glass right out of my grasp, "seem to have the opposite problem." He set the plastic down and rested his paw beside it, though, I wasn't tempted to take it back. Instead I placed my own hand atop his, waiting for a reaction, but his gaze never faltered. "How do you know it  _ isn't _ affecting me?" he said in a low, gravely voice, directed to me and me alone.

"Oh is it now?" I said with a cocked eyebrow and a sly smile, drumming my fingers against the back of his hand. "Well then you have my standing ovation for holding up the sober act."

"Heh," he laughed, looking away, and I noticed the faint pink dusting his cheeks. He turned back to me, "How generous of you."

"Speaking of generosity...I haven't even given you your last birthday present yet~." I only noticed when I was speaking in his ear that we had been whispering.

"And that...would be?" I felt his warm breath testing the side of my neck, sending shivers down my spine.

I brought a hand up to the collar of his shirt, tugging it slightly, bringing him along with it.

"I think you already know," I whispered almost inaudibly as I closed the space between our lips.

He definitely wasn't nervous this time around, parting his mouth almost immediately, letting me in. As we tested each other's dominance, our kiss deepened. My grip on his shirt tightened, feeling my heart racing.

Erika's scream from behind didn't phase us as we continued to make out in her presence. It made me smirk inwardly knowing we had an audience.

"I called it! I knew it! Pay up, Dotachin!"

"Hey, you said the first ten days! It's the twelfth!"

"Haha, good thing I didn't specify~."

"Shut up, Shinra."

"Oh my God, they're really going at it!"

I pulled Shizuo in more forcefully, surprised that he hadn't pulled away due to all the attention. I felt myself getting hotter and hotter, wanting more than just some amatuer frenching.

"Trust me," I said in a short breath as I broke the kiss.

My back was still turned to everyone else and I sent a very dazed Shizu-chan a wink.

"Oh no," I said quickly bringing a hand up to my mouth. "I think I'm...I think I'm going to be sick!" Shizuo's eyes widened as I grabbed his arm, quickly pushing through the crowd of our laughing and cheering friends.

I grabbed the door handle and bolted out of the room, and Shizuo haphazardly closed the door behind us.

The shots from earlier weren't helping my already unstable fingers as a fumbled with the key as it kept declining us from our privacy. It was hard for me to contain my excitement with my heart pounding out of my chest; I almost couldn't think straight. Actually, I wasn't thinking very straight at all, if you catch my drift. But really, I  _ was _ struggling to continue my coherent monologuing.

I heard Shizuo chuckling sadistically beside me, arms crossed against his chest as he supported himself against the wall. In the corner of my eye, I could see his gaze drift from my hands to my face.

"Just...shut up!" I said anxiously.

When we finally entered, as expected, neither of us could wait any longer. The door shut soundly behind me as I was pressed against it. We were kissing, and panting, and kissing some more, as my trembling hands reached for the buttons of the blonde's shirt. You'd be surprised how stubborn they can be when you're horny.

By the time they were undone and I was feeling the warm skin radiating from the other man's body, his fingers were already slipping under the hem of my shirt to take it off. As our clothes fell to the floor, his brawn arms snaked around my waist, pulling me so that our bare chests brisked against one another. He had strategically pressed his knee against the wall between my legs allowing me to grind on him. The forearm supporting my back slowly slid further and further south. I took a sharp inhale when he didn't hold back a rough squeeze to my backside. In my intake, I could still taste the apparent flavor of liquor on my palate; the same piquancy, in his breath. The smell made me remember my previous thoughts before we had left our room, and before all the events leading up to this moment had unfolded:

How I liked to be fully aware of my body and mentality at all times; that I had no real reason to resort to things such as drinking leisurely with friends, like other humans were so fond of doing. How I  _ need  _ to be in control,  _ especially  _ around someone so obstinate…

That being said, no matter how much I disassociate myself from other humans and human emotions, and how I strive to sever the one thing I can never control...my lust and my need for sexual attention was at it’s peak. I believed  _ those _ to be my least redeeming qualities and insecurities.

But as I had clearly witnessed firsthand tonight, in order to get the things you unseemly desire from deep within, sometimes you have to adapt. Because after all, I'm still human, and after all, rules were made to be broken.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are things getting hot in here? or is it just them? B)  
> So now you all know where things are going, and can predict the next chapter that is solely smut to your hearts content. That update will come tomorrow evening!  
> Also to reply to the ask about where I'll be (hopefully) be attending school!! I'm applying to Temple University Japan to study the Japanese language, whilst hopefully teaching English over there! That is my dream ^^;. It's a whole year away, though, so don't worry yet!  
> Also, I don't even know if this was mentioned on my original work on FanFiction, but as soon as I'm done with this story, I have another one I plan on writing immediately after. It's...darker, to say the least. Strangely enough, I don't usually read fluff-but this was my first fic, so I figured I should stick with it and built up to deeper, darker things later, lol. However, that one will be posted on a different account that I will share with a friend of mine. Needless to say, I am VERY excited to debut that one when the time comes. I also plan to post another work on here for those of you in the Dangan Ronpa fandom, but that isn't my priority right now (sorry, that one will have to wait).  
> I'm just rambling a lot here, so I'll just leave you alone for now XD Thanks again for all the kudos and comments!! ~Until next time!~


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY. The time has come...The moment you have all been waiting for!

_ Shizuo _

I often thought about sex.

What it would be like, who it'd be with, when my first time would be- _ if ever _ ...That was something teenage boys thought about, right? That was normal?

I mean sure, after taking Sex Ed freshmen year, hearing about it from my classmates, and it playing a huge roll in almost every romance novel or TV show nowadays, I  _ knew _ the concept of it how it worked...But actually  _ doing  _ it…

As much as I  _ did _ think about it, I never quite planned for...

" _ Shizu-chan! _ " he gasped, putting his hands on my chest, allowing some distance between us where we had, in the midst of our making out, slid to the floor. His face was flushed, probably more so from the alcohol he had consumed, and he was short of breath...Well, we both were. His lips, a little swollen, were parted slightly, as he looked up at me with need in his crimson eyes, breathing heavily.

I tried swallowing the lump in my throat as I looked down, my face most likely as equally red.

_ Yeah...I can't say I ever expected this. _

"Bed. Now," he demanded impatiently, attempting to stand on his own.

I pulled him into another kiss.

Before he could protest, I scooped him up, his legs instinctively wrapping around my hips and hands clasping securely behind my neck. He was weightless in my arms, of course, but the feeling of his bare chest being pressed against my own made me stiffen.

He was still kissing my lips and along my jawline as I carried him to our tempurpedic destination. The cool, silk sheets of the nearest bed gave way as I placed him gently onto the fabric. My hands sunk into the soft mattress above both his shoulders as I hovered over him. Looking down at him now, I was able to take in all the detail of his features.

The only light source came from the curtains drawn from the window, casting a blue hue from the full moon in the clear night sky. The luminous, cyan, glow outlining his features in turn, cast dark shadows from the strands of hair framing his face and the remaining dark clothing he was still wearing. The silhouettes from curves of lean muscle and bones were accentuated on his torso, neck and chest in the lambent lighting.

He looked up at me, russet eyes full of lust and desire, focusing from my lips, to my eyes, to my lips again.

I knew in my mind, that this was all unfamiliar to him as well, which was slightly more relieving...This  _ particular _ situation, with this  _ particular _ individual-whether Izaya intended for it or not-was something that both of us would have never,  _ ever _ , even thought plausible in the past. Almost indefinitely because either of us would have been so disturbed and disgusted by the idea, anyone who would have dared to mentioned it, would have earned themselves a reasonable black eye or a slit throat. Something about that made me smirk inwardly.

“What on earth could you be finding humorous right now,” he said, cocking an eyebrow, ignoring his own words as he grinned deviously back at me.

“I just...never would have guessed…”

“Guessed what? That you’d get laid on your birthday?” he taunted. “I can’t say that I’m not surprised, though.”

“I mean...with you…”

“Ah, but I’m the only one capable of handling a monster, after all~,” he said playfully. “You can’t break me, Shizu-chan.”

“You say that now, because you’re drunk,” I added.

“Only slightly, but trust me, Shizu-chan, I’m consenting to this,” he said, rolling his eyes. “If that’s what you’re worried about, then stop.” He brought himself forward, propping himself on his elbows until our faces were centimeters apart. The mischievous glint that was usually apparent in his crimson eyes was different now. Serious, but softened as he spoke. “You’re going to have to trust me when I say, I want this.”

He brought up a hand to caress my cheek before placing a chaste kiss on my lips. He stayed there for a moment, then backed away to face me again. I took that as enough of a signal to proceed.

My hands anxiously searched for the belt of the raven's jeans blindedly, in the dim light. I could only gauge my perception by feeling the bulge grazing under my knuckles as I unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, causing him to let out a libidinous sigh when he was freed from their confines.

"Damn, Izaya...You're really hard," was the first of many things I would regrettably blurt out this evening.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second before returning to their usual predator-like slits.

"I didn't expect you to be the type to make such lewd commentary, Shizu-chan," he said in his most syrupy voice. “Even if it  _ is  _ elementary.”

“What  _ did _ you expect?" I could hear my own voice shaking as I spoke, and I was certain the flea had picked up on it too, but thankfully made no comment.

I leaned back on my heels between his legs as I fumbled for my own belt. The jingling felt a hundred times louder than it ever had, but he didn't seem phased until I had slid down my pants enough so that shape of my arousal was prominent under the thin fabric of my boxers.  _ Then _ his expression changed at once.

"My, my, I knew you were big, Shizu-chan, but this is impressive," he said boldly, staring wide eyed at my lower region.

My face instantly turned a deep red, and I almost covered myself again when I felt him gently nudge me  _ there _ with his foot.

"No need to be shy about it, Shizu-chan, you should be proud, ne? Ah, how lucky I am t’night~," he relaxed into the sheets he continued to caress the fabric of my clothing, head tilted to the side with a slight slur to his words.

The thought of him feeling me twitch under his ‘friendly’ gesture completely changed my tone.

"D-don't say things like that so casually! And enough with the foot job," I said embarrassingly, shooing it off my lap.

He chuckled and sat up on his knees too, closing the space between our bodies to look at me directly. Just two shirtless men in their underwear talking carelessly with their jeans rolled down to their thighs.  _ Perfectly normal _ , I thought.

"Tell me, Shizu-chan...What kind of kinks does a sadistic monster like you, have?" he whispered seductively as he leaned by my ear.

I felt his cool fingertips just barely brush my abdomen, causing an almost inaudible gasp to escape my lips. His nails dragged lightly against the surface, tracing my stomach muscles, slowly trailing down to the waistband of my underwear. I could feel a single fingertip ghost the space between the material and my skin, but not budging any further south. Instead, he held it there, probably for dramatic effect, to heighten my anticipation for his next course of action.

"Enlighten me," he said, forcing his warm breath past the locks of hair that lay over my ear.

"I...don't know...and I'm not sadistic," I corrected him grimly, turning my head away.

"Oh, right, right. How could I have forgotten…?" As he spoke he deliberately tried piercing my skin again with his fingernail. "You're a masochist."

"If anyone here is into that S&M shit, it's  _ you _ ," I retorted, gazing down at him accusingly.

"Hmmm...but wouldn’t you say that the relationship we’ve acquired over the years is similar? We’ve both wanted to kill each other for so long...It wouldn’t seem out of our nature to torture the other to make it as agonizing as possible, ne? I think a lot of that can also correlate with our sexual interests and fetishes...Maybe to a slightly less degree," he chuckled, “but you get what I’m saying,” he shrugged, returning a smirk as he started to move his hand downward again, slipping into the fabric. My breathing quickened as my heart rate started to pick up again.

"But ah, how fortunate we are, ne? We have all night to discover  _ your  _ inhumane libido...Right,  _ birthday boy _ ?"

As soon as I was going to correct him about those being just  _ his _ fetishes, his cool fingers laced themselves around my shaft, and I couldn’t help but let the soft noise escape my lips.

Each time his hand moved up and down-at a snail’s pace, might I add-I could feel myself getting harder in his palm. I couldn’t look at him directly, and when he caught on, he forced me to face him. It amazed me how he could keep such a cruel smile while doing something so intimate.

“It’s better for the both of us if I see your reactions,” he said, without his usual cynical tone. He reached up with his other hand to tilt my chin upward, directing my gaze to meet his unbreaking one. “ _ All _ of them.”

At that moment, he rolled his thumb over the head, causing my hips to jerk a little. I could feel blood rushing to my cheeks, as I sat mortified, that my body reacted so honestly. On the other hand, Izaya was no longer looking at my face, but down as his hand. For that I was thankful, but couldn't help but chew my lower lip nervously. He faced me again, coyly of course, repeating the action. This time I tried controlling myself, but it only somewhat worked.

I stiffened when he leaned in, feeling his hair tickle my jawline. I felt something warm and wet drag itself along the exposed skin of my neck; it’s slow pace, matching that of his hand, drew damp circles along the joint where my collarbone and shoulder met. The next thing I felt, was the tight pinch of his teeth nip at my skin, followed by more slow lapping of his tongue. I almost found it soothing; the steady pace of his wrist moving and his mouth planting butterfly kisses along the tender skin.

However, that bliss was short lived when there was another sharp pinch right below my jaw, feeling the flea’s lips and tongue sucking hungrily at my neck. I could  _ feel  _ the capillaries bursting and I knew he was purposefully trying to leave a mark.  _ Especially _ when he pulled away to admire his work, snickering to himself.

“Hey, so you  _ can _ get hickies!” he exclaimed, effervescently.

“Stop it! Now I’m gonna have to wear a fucking scarf everywhere!” I flicked him (as gently as possible) on the side of the head.

“I’m sure, knowing how your body works, it will be gone in an hour or so,” he said rubbing his temple. “But just to be on the safe side-”

He leaned into the other side and bit me once more, repeating the action, this time sucking more aggressively than the last.

“The fuck flea?!” I said pulling away.

“There,” he released me with a loud popping sound that seemed to echo off the walls. “Now we can test our theory more accurately.” He smirked back at me. I had been so distracted, I had forgotten that his hands had returned back to him, now offering himself in surrender. “Feel free to reciprocate the action.”

My brows knit together, as I was for once, at eye level with him.

“You think I don’t know you’d be more than happy showing off your hickies? Because  _ yours _ would last weeks.”

He simply shrugged and rolled his eyes not denying the fact.

I smirked back. “Or maybe I should give you some, so that when you wake up hungover and look in the mirror, you’ll be annoyed at the nasty dark spots tainting that ‘flawless’ skin of yours,” I scoffed, already hearing it in my head. “But I won’t do that, because I don’t want to hear you complain more than you already do.”

“So you do admit I’m flawless, then? I’m touched,” he put a hand over where his heart was supposed to be.

“Narcissistic bastard,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. Now I felt even more inclined, but I knew better.

Snapping me out of whatever confident attitude had risen within me, he pulled on waistband of my boxers further to sit halfway down my thighs. The sudden rush of cool air and sense of exposure almost had me flinch back and his quick movements-obviously not wanting to delay his objective.

That’s when he moved himself back on the bed to remove his own pants and undergarments in one fluid motion, not at all phased at being the only one completely naked. He got back on his knees again, this time with one palm on the sheets and one to continue what he had started. It was when he lowered his head, that I realized-

"W-wait! Flea-!"

He looked up at me as if he had expected my reaction.

"Do you not want me to?" he raised an eyebrow at his question.

"I...I don't want you to feel like you  _ have _ to-"

"I want to." And without another word, his head bowed again and I didn't protest.

“…”

I could have been- _ must  _ have been dreaming, when I felt something warm and slick flicker across my skin. It experimented again, then again, testing the spots that were the most sensitive, and I didn't dare look down.

_ The flea is going to give me- _

I stiffened at the thought.

I felt soft kisses being gently placed up and down the shaft, the other hand supporting it circled gently over the head like before. It was soon replaced with something even hotter, slimier; the same muscle dragging longley, sucking libidinously.

I could feel myself start to sweat even more than I already had been. This was, to say the least, better than anything I could have done by my own hand-obviously. Even the times I had imagined this being done to me before (not with him, but) weren't nearly as amazing and intimate as what I was feeling now. I couldn’t help but let my head roll back towards the ceiling.

My breathing faltered every time I felt him go down and my fingers would occasionally twitch at certain motions as he experimented with his angling. As much as I tried to keep any sudden movements to a minimum, it was hard to sit perfectly still. Then again, I suppose it would be rather awkward if I did.

The other thing that bothered me, was the pang guilt in the back of my mind that I wasn't doing anything...to him.

My hands, which had been laying at my sides, tightened anxiously.

_ I should be doing something too… _

It's just that...I didn't  _ know _ what  _ to  _ do. It didn't surprise me that Izaya already knew exactly what would feel good-I mean, I honestly figured that he was into...this stuff, long before...Of course, he would have a better idea.

"It feels better if you think less, you know," he said without looking up.

"H-how do you-"

"Because I'm me, and I always know," he said catching my glance, with a smug look.

Purposefully making eye contact at that moment, his tongue lolled around the tip. I knew if I looked away he would be unsatisfied and stop, so I kept a steady, but very bashful watch.

Things were a  _ lot  _ more intimate by doing this...Watching his head bob up and down; wet traces of saliva shining in the dim light between his knuckles. Sometimes he would moan and the vibration would nearly throw me over the edge.

That was around the time I saw his other supporting hand make it’s way towards his thighs...Judging by the rolling movements of his left shoulder I only guessed that…

Before I followed through with that idea, a new one must have popped into his, and he stopped what he was doing altogether. It was all I could do to hold back the soft noise of a complaint that threatened to sneak past my lips.

He sat up and turned to the night table to reach out and grab a small container, or vial, rather.

“What’s that?” I was surprised at my own voice for sounding weaker than expected, but Izaya paid no mind.

“This, Shizu-chan, is the key element of making  _ that _ ,” he said half pointing at me, half unscrewing the lid to the little bottle, “fit; as I’m sure you are fully aware that we are both virgins here.”

Another one of his blunt remarks had my face completely red again, and I was glad he was distracted and continued:

“Thankfully, I took time to research and prepare to... _ hopefully _ ” he said eyeing me over once more, wearing the mixed expression of reconsideration, “make this as...comfortable as possible.”

“So, lube. You brought lube. Do you, y’know...always carry that stuff around with you?”

He gave me an over the top eye roll. “No, Shizu-chan, I don’t always carry a lubricant on me. I _do_ however bring essential oils with me on trips that are ‘multifunctional’.”

“...is that that aromatherapy crap you were on about? It better not smell weird,” I grimaced at the memory.

He let out a sigh and gave me another dramatic eye roll, before carefully pouring a generous amount into the palm of his hand without making a mess. He then handed it off to me.

Something, I don’t know what, compelled me to bring the little flask close enough to get a waft of it’s scent.  _ Thankfully,  _ it wasn’t the same concoction as the last time I walked into the room. This one was definitely milder and more pleasant.

He shifted his way back to lean against the headboard of the bed, slowly spreading his legs. He rubbed the oil around his hands, saturating his fingers, before he began to stroke himself.

I swallowed hard, sitting there with probably the most dumbfounded expression on my face. He tilted his head back against the board, eyeing me with his usual, self-satisfied smirk. He shifted, bending and spreading his knees to sit in a more suggestive position. Slowly, he brought his dominant hand towards his entrance, circling a few times, before the tip of his middle finger disappeared. Gradually his finger sunk deeper and deeper as he teased himself with both hands; the other working at his shaft.

I felt my own dick twitch, as I sat mesmerized by the knuckle that kept sinking inside of him, pulling out slowly to repeat the action.

_ “Fuck,” _ I heard him moan as his eyes fluttered shut, his brows knitting, obviously from the amount of stimulation.

There it was again; his façade faltering, looking more human now, than ever.

His erotic facial expression still remained, but opened his eyes again and his mask returned, smirking back at me.

“Don’t tell me Shizu-chan is bored now? And here I am, trying to entertain…”

Even I caught on that his voice lacked the same egotistical attitude he had outside the bedroom.

“Go on, no need to be shy here. After all, we’re both  _ men _ ~,” he chuckled.

“That’s easy for you to say…” I turned to avert his gaze.

“Hmph, suit yourself. I’ll just be over h- _ ere- _ !”

My eyes snapped back at his sudden hitch of tone. His expression relaxed once more, still looking drunk on the stimulation, he smiled.

“-enjoying myself, pretending this is you…”

He closed his eyes again in concentration, and the room fell silent...Take away the wet sound of Izaya’s fingers.

Without much thinking, inclinatorily, my hand found it’s way to my own arousal.

I couldn’t  _ not  _ admit what the flea was doing really turned me on...And that I did wish it was me. And the thought of him wanting it to be me  _ also _ really turned me on.

_ Goddammit, flea. _

I uncapped the vial again and poured a plentiful amount into my own hand, setting the bottle aside.

I may be completely unfamiliar with all this, but I at least had decency to know that this stuff probably didn’t feel good cold, so I lathered my fingers to warm the liquid until I felt like it would be remotely comfortable.

I crawled over to where the flea still sat, eyes squeezed shut on an otherwise, relaxed expression. His toes curling, as of now, two fingers were pumping in and out of him a little faster.

He was startled when I reached down to still his hand- obviously not feeling me creep up on him-and his eyes widened in surprise. His hand stop moving and I soon replaced it with my own, testing the tip of my finger to make sure it was okay.

He took initiative and guided my finger, pressing it deeper into the warm cavern. He squirmed for a moment, and I thought that I must have hurt him, but by the soft moan he let out, I took that as permission to try to move my finger. I started slowly at first, out of my own hesitation, but I didn’t think he was in any mood to rush me. His eyes were still closed and his mouth would occasionally twitch depending on how I bent my finger.

My first inclination, was to peck him gently on the lips, followed by more tenderly placed kisses along his cheek and neck. I still kept a moderate pace, but I think when I breathed too close to his ear, was what caused him to shudder. I experimentally did it again, just to receive the same reaction. I found it kind of amusing, and decided to barely nibble on the cartilage of his ear.

His breath hitched, and I felt him tense around my finger. I let out a low chuckle, feeling pretty prideful and accomplished for this being my first time.

“M-more,” he whispered, and his hand held the one I was currently fingering him with, suggesting I add another. Very slowly, I did so, remembering that two fingers of his is barely bigger than one of mine.

He adjusted quickly though, and I was able to make some kind of scissoring motion-basing this purely on instinct and what I thought to be the most logical. A little while passed before I added the third, making sure it was well lubricated. I could tell it wasn’t pleasant at first, and I muttered a “sorry”, not knowing what else to say in comfort. The last thing I wanted was to hurt him.

“It’s okay, Shizu-chan,” he said quietly-the first full sentence he spoke in over ten minutes. “I have to be well prepared for you, ne?”

My heart fluttered a little bit at the ‘ _ for you’ _ part, as if I needed the reassurance that I was indeed, about to have sex with my ex-arch nemesis.

After a while, my fingers seemed to fit smoothly in, and he shown no signs of discomfort.

“Okay...I think...it’s time,” he said, face completely flushed.

“O-okay…”

I slid my fingers out and there was a loud wet noise, in which my face immediately lit up. He didn’t seem to care and waved for me to move down lower on the bed so he could lay on his back.

“Missionary seems to be the best way to go about to doing this.”

“What-inary?”

He sighed, rolling his eyes, and a little more of the Izaya I knew showed through.

“Missionary, as in the sex position, Shizu-chan. Just how sheltered were you?”

My brows lowered, as if the blissful moments of intimacy were gone again, and we were back to being ourselves temporarily. But for once, I couldn’t actually complain.

“This should be the most comfortable and easiest position for both of us.”

I started to sweat more nervously now, getting on my knees between his legs almost lining myself up before he stopped me.

“Before you do anything, make sure you’re completely hard.”

“Fle-!”

“Make. Sure.” he eyed me carefully.

I let out an embarrassed sigh, balancing myself on the one arm that was flat on the sheets around the flea’s shoulder. I reached my free hand down to pump myself rather awkwardly, lathering up with the lubricant once more.

The raven’s trademark smirk returned again, eyeing me with his usual smug expression. My brows furrowed, but he simply took in the eyeful and smiled evilly.

“Just enjoying the show~.”

I huffed a breath and when I felt myself completely erect, I ever-so-lightly placed my hand on the raven’s thigh. The last thing I’d want to happen is for us to get this far and me break his limb. How would we even answer those questions…

I shook my head and lined myself up like before.

Of course the first touch felt like an electric current had just run through me, but I remained concentrated. The cool wetness from the oil helped as I very slowly pushed myself against the raven’s entrance. He was also steadying his breathing meanwhile. I felt myself sinking into him; warm, wet, and still  _ really _ tight.

If Izaya was good at one thing, it was masking his emotions. But even now, I could tell, that he couldn’t completely cover up the discomfort on his face. He opened one eye to meet my gaze, as I had stopped to let him adjust.

“I’m fine…’m just not used to it,” he said between his teeth.

The idea came to mind that maybe I could help coax him a little to relax. My hand currently resting on his thigh moved to his own erection, where I began to pump him gradually. His shoulders slouched, a little more relaxed, and he was able to open his eyes.

After a minute I tried moving again, rolling my hips slowly, which seemed to help as well. By the time it was all said and done, I was fully in him.

He let out a long breath he had been holding, gathering himself for a moment.

“Is it okay…?” I began.

Understanding what I meant, the flea gave a little nod as permission for me to move.

I budged an inch at a time as he loosened up. Sliding became easier, and he moved his legs after a while to allow me more access. His expression seemed to relax after a bit from the gentle wave of thrusts. I started slow, knowing that if I tried anything else, it could cause him a lot of pain.

For the first time in my life, I felt like I had enough control not to hurt someone. I was able to be soft and handle with care. I was doing something someone actually liked. Something that could be considered fragile, even. I was still hesitant, but after a while of slow, drawn out movements, he finally moaned:

“Okay, Shizuo...you can fuck me now.”

Heating up instantly, I gave a nod of reassurance, pecking his lips. Experimentally, I pulled out about halfway before sheathing myself again. I did that a few times, gradually, thrusting shallower and changing my angling. By the look of it, I could gauge which felt the best to the man under me by how his face contorted libidinously at the stimulation. He let out faint gasps and moans, which I heard in between my own.

Everything felt so damn good, but knowing that I could do even something like this-pleasure somebody without hurting him, made it significantly better. The fact that  _ he  _ was asking for more was amazing, needless to say.

The next thing I knew, I was speeding up, going deeper, even more so when the raven wrapped his legs around my hips.

“Shi-shizu-...feels...good-!” he panted.

“Fuck, Izaya...you’re so tight,” I growled rather animalistically, rolling my hips faster.

“You’re such- _ ah! _ A barbarian!” he whined, gripping the sheets until his knuckles paled.

I couldn’t help but chuckle darkly at that, because at the moment, I didn’t mind his insults.

“Hey,” I said slowing down some.

He looked up at me dazed.

“You said,” I panted in between breaths, “you wanted to know what I was into...right?”

He nodded quickly, brows still furrowed from pleasure.

I paused to grab both his wrists, using one hand to pin them against the headboard, and move a little too quickly.

“ _ Aaah-!! Th-there!”  _ he nearly screamed, instantly.

I smirked inwardly and repeated the action-having found a sweet spot-a little rougher this time. It resulted the same, with his legs squeezing around my hips tightly, bucking his own for more in return.

Honestly, I had only put him in that position because he had mentioned those kinks before, but I could see now, that maybe somewhere down the line I would be willing to be more experimental.

I felt my heart race as I gazed down at the raven in the most submissive position I could have once only imagined. His lips and cheeks were dusted pink. Even his chest was flushed, small nipples pebbling upright in arousal. It was too tempting to pass by the opportunity to lean in and roll my tongue over one of them.

_ “F-fuck!”  _ I felt his legs tighten around my hips.

“We already are,” I chuckled out of breath, teasing him more, as I continued to thrust into him at that particular angle. I licked him again, framing my lips over his nipple once more to give a gentle pinch between my teeth. His skin was sweet, but salty with sweat.

“ _ Shizuo-!” _ he whined, grinding his hips against me. There was a mantra running under his heavy breaths begging for more.

I studied his face; the expression he wore was unmistakably honest. It was the vulnerability in his features-no mask or sadistic grin-that remained. Purity and bliss. It was something I’d consider to be beautiful.

He was moaning loudly, and I hadn’t even taken into consideration if the neighboring rooms could hear us, but at the time, didn't care. The only thing going through my mind was the look of absolute ecstasy on the other man’s face.

Damp, black strands of hair, matted against his forehead; skin flushed bright pink; and the sounds that escaped his lips that he tried to hold back, was almost too much for me. I felt myself throbbing more and more frequently inside him.

I moved too quickly before my mind could process my actions.

“Wha-?!” he was about to say, until something compelled me to grab the flea and pull him up into my lap and ram into him.

I think I might have knocked a little bit of the wind out of him, which I quickly stopped and apologized for.

“S-sorry! I didn’t-!”

“Don’t worry about that, dammit, keep going!” he shouted, out of breath.

Slightly bewildered, I continued to thrust up into him, balancing myself on my heels as I sat back. His legs wrapped around my waist and his hands gripped my shoulders so hard I could feel his nails breaking the skin as I carried the rapid momentum. All I that was registering, were that my movements were becoming less and less rhythmic and more and more frantic.

He quickly pulled my face upward, taking me by surprise when he began to kiss me. This time, the kiss was different from all the others. It was completely intimate, like we needed each other. Like the other was the only thing in the world that mattered. Yes, our kiss may have also been frenzied and sloppy, but the most important thing was feeling the other person in complete euphoria.

Our lips were still pressed together when Izaya spoke to me.

“I’m g-gonna-!”

“M-me too,” I heaved, throbbing almost painfully inside him.

It didn’t take long for the flea to wrap his hands almost suffocatingly tight around my neck, burying his face in the crook, repeating my name.

“ _ Shizu-...‘m gonna c-cum! More! _ ”

He was shaking as I felt a warm liquid run down my stomach, about the same time I had released into him.

My movements slowed, then stilled; arms still cradling his backside, bodies close.

“ _ F-fuck,”  _ I sighed, registering my finish and coming out of my daze.

We waited for our breathing to even before he spoke up.

“Well,” he seemed to have (almost) returned back to his regular self. “That certainly beats chasing each other around aimlessly, don’t you think?” he remarked, still out of air.

“Uh...Izaya…” my voice was lower, and raspier from being winded.

He looked down at me, surprised I didn’t address him as ‘flea’ or ‘louse’. I figured now of all times it was best to not use petty nicknames. Although to my recollection, I don't recall ever saying his name so soft spokenly.

“Um...can you...or should I…”

“Oh, yeah…”

We awkwardly got each other’s memo’s and  _ very _ awkwardly (and messily) disconnected ourselves.

“Shizuo.”

“Yeah?”

“Towel.”

“Right.”

I got up and hurried to the bathroom grabbing one of the fresh, nicely folded towels on the rack, wetting down a corner and bringing it back to the bed, where the flea lay sprawled out.

“Thanks.” he said, taking it from me as I handed it to him.

I stood there, still clothesless, staring at him as he wiped his stomach down, reminding me of my own predicament.

I snatched a set of boxers out of my drawer, walking back by the bed and asking if I could take the first shower. He nodded, shooing me off, as I locked myself in the bathroom.

I leaned back against the door, not caring at the ‘thunk’ it made when I hit my head against it.

My body was still on an adrenaline high, and the reality was starting to weigh on me of what happened just moments ago.

I just fucked Izaya Orihara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm glad I was able to update twice this weekend!! Especially for a moment as significant as this!  
> I'm hoping I will be able to stay on schedule with updates, but I might be late this upcoming weekend? :( I'm just trying to gauge how much time I have between work this week, plus getting around to doing all that paperwork for school...*grumbles*.  
> I'm so thankful to everyone who has left such positive responses on these past chapters. It really helps motivate me to put out more! I love checking my email and seeing a new comment or review first thing in the morning ^^; I can say it's one of the best feelings, knowing someone really appreciates your work.  
> I've been trying to get out there and read more myself as well? I try to keep up with other DRRR stories, and have read countless ones in the past, so I'm always looking for new work! If you have any recommendations, let me know ;)  
> Again, thanks for all your kudos and comments. Until next time!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't think I was going to be able to update this soon, but I was able to get a quick chapter out! Just a little post-smut fluff, with more to come next time ;) Enjoy!

_ Izaya _

 

The sound click of the lock to the bathroom door and the loud “ _ thunk” _ from the other side indicated that Shizuo’s and my coition was finally sinking into that small brain of his. It was his own fault for always acting before giving things a second thought- _ or _ a first one, for that matter.

I sighed inwardly as I laid down on the bed, sprawled out, regretfully letting him take the first shower.

_ You’re not the one who still has come in their ass, idiot… _

I awkwardly wiped myself with the towel the blonde had fetched, but that didn’t do much for the sweat and sex smell that clung to myself and the sheets. Bitter and sweet.

_ I’ll have to call down to room service about new bedding… _ I noted. For a second, I caught a glimpse of what looked like a split in the furnishing of the headboard and smiled to myself.

After drying off what wasn’t already dry, I got up and knocked on the bathroom door, knowing the response I would get.

“What is it. I’m in the shower,” he said monotonously behind the wood. I could tell by how close his voice was, that he was leaning on the other side.

“The shower isn’t even running, Shizu-chan,” I rolled my eyes, slumping against it as well, crossing my arms.

The water immediately turned on.

“Can you open the door?” I asked politely.

I could tell by the drawn out pause that he was considering it, but after a minute and a half had passed I almost gave up and went back to bed. That was until I heard the door unlock and creek open ever so slightly.

Smiling at the tiny accomplishment, I pushed the door open the rest of the way slowly, and walked into the steamy room. Shizuo was already in the shower, probably contemplating the emotional toll this was going to have on him. Wiping away some of the fog in the mirror, I studied my reflection for a while, caught up in my own racing thoughts.

My hair was a damp mess; lips swollen, eyes a little bloodshot, and I could feel my body starting to ache. My skin appeared to somewhat have that legendary “after glow” resemblance to it, but it must have been the fluorescent lighting, I decided, instead, ruling out the myth.

_ What did it feel like to other humans to lose their virginity? _

Proud? Accomplished? Ashamed? Hurt? I guess it all depended on the how it was and who it was with.

“…”

_ In my experience…?  _ I asked myself.

I smirked inwardly again, looking at the floor while rubbing the back of my neck.

I  _ did _ feel accomplished, but not in the way I usually felt when pieces of the puzzle fell into place. This was something I didn’t recall having felt before. I couldn’t pinpoint the exact emotion I was currently experiencing, so rather dismissed it as the leftover buzz of adrenaline that was beginning to wear off. However, despite knowing that to be untrue.

My eyes shifted back to the mirror to see the silhouette of the blonde through the frosty glass door of the shower behind me.

How did he feel? He really only _ has _ one emotion. He  _ is  _ the ‘Fortissimo of Ikebukuro’, after all, and certainly lived up to the name.

I grabbed a new towel off the rack to wrap around myself in the meantime while I waited, taking a seat on the closed toilet lid. Sitting down, I could definitely feel all the places on my thighs that were going to come to a full bruise by morning; not only that, but every muscle fiber that made up my being felt like it had hit it’s max. My limbs felt weak like jelly, like they would give up on me any moment now. But...

Something about that kindled the fire burning in my chest from the aftermath. That it was  _ real. _

_ Like I said, Shizu-chan, I’m the only one capable of handling a monster. _

I didn’t notice Shizuo standing in front of me with a towel wrapped around his waist until his feet came into sight of my downcast focus. In fact, I hadn’t even heard him step out of the shower, since he left the water running. Probably for me.

“Oi.”

I rose to my feet slowly, trying not to wobble in the process, feeling the pulled muscles in my legs protesting against the movement. But before I could meet caramel gaze with crimson, the blonde’s bare chest was pressing against my face.

My heart stopped when I realized he was  _ embracing  _ me. All I could do was stand there, limp against the hot, dampness of the strong arms encircling me. The smooth skin of his chest against my cheek and his head resting on my bare shoulder. I couldn’t grasp the situation over my sudden bewilderment. Even something so simple as  _ breathing  _ was a struggle because all I could inhale was his scent. It was suffocating.

We stood like that for a while. I could feel his powerful heart beating next to my ear, it's audible pulse was loud and clear in my brain, literally drilling the unmistakable presence of the blonde’s and my current position into my head. When I made no move to hug him back he only squeezed tighter, nuzzling into my neck more.

“D-Don’t tell me Shizu-chan is the clingy type?” I teased, my voice wavering slightly.

Nothing, just more hugging, and I felt like he was putting more weight on me than what was intentional.

“Or does Shizu-chan plan on suffocating me now?”

That made him loosen and back away, muttering an awkward, “sorry” in response. His hands still lingered holding my shoulders in place. He was looking down at me, and I had forgotten how much taller he stood than me. Then again, we didn’t usually get this close to each other, I suppose. In fact, couldn’t remember the last time someone had held me like that…

I looked away for my own sake, knowing those calm, honey, puppy dog eyes were still staring at me.

“That was nice.”

I slowly turned towards him, however, not making full eye contact. “Hm?”

“Hugging you…It was nice.”

I even more quickly averted my gaze.

“And here I thought you meant the sex.”

By the low hum, I could tell he was smiling down at me. I felt shudder want to run down my spine like electricity. “That was nice too.”

I eyed him once over, raising an eyebrow. “So you are the clingy type?”

He rolled his eyes. “You don’t always have to be a little bastard, ya know that, right?”

His flattering compliment reminded me to smirk again. “I had no idea you found me so charming.”

“You’re a piece of work, flea, I’ll give you that. But you’re alright.”

I chuckled, “just alright? No five-star rating? I’m wounded.”

“Just be less of an asshole and maybe we can do it again sometime,” he said, giving my shoulders one last gentle squeeze before walking out of the doorway with a wink.

I was stunned in place, feeling the heat rising and pooling to my cheeks. My mouth was left agape at the smoothness of his exit, irritatingly making my stomach flip at how  _ human _ he was acting. Just who did he think he was?

Remembering to shut off the water that was still running, I stormed out of the bathroom behind him.

“Shizuo you neanderthal-nnfh-“

To my dismay, he caught me and pulled me in for a kiss again, catching me by surprise. I let my eyes flutter shut this time, despite my annoyance with him. Against my will, I practically melted in his arms once more as he pulled me into him. I hadn't realized just how desperate my body still was for the contact. How it so willingly gave into drinking up every ounce of intimacy thrown my way. How soon I was able to rebound wanting  _ more _ , even when my mind was against it.

“Is that the only way you’ll shut up now?” he said, pulling away with a smug grin in a low voice.

My vision took a moment to focus again, meeting his caramel eyes that still flashed a glimpse of lust in them. My whole body felt flushed again, making things even more frustrating. Obviously, I had all the more intention of having the last word now.

“Is Shizu-chan going to act cocky from now on because he isn’t a virgin?” I was able to redeem myself somewhat at the challenged.

“Flea…” he pinched the bridge of his nose, his tone changing into a demeanor I suddenly didn’t think I liked the sound of.

“Shizu-chan….” I tested anyway.

“Are you afraid of me now?” he asked in a concerned tone, looking at me with slight worry swarming in those molten irises.

“W-What?!” I almost choked. “Why on earth would I be afraid of  _ you _ ?  _ Now _ of all times?!”

“You get defensive because you don’t like letting people in and then you start pushing people away.”

“Um, in case you hadn’t noticed, Shizu-chan, you  _ were _ in.”

“That’s not what I-“  _ sigh _ , “you’re afraid of affection, but not sex? What do you think’s gonna happen now?”

“Things go back to the way they were? I don’t know, I only planned this far-!” I ended up stumbling on my own words.

He face palmed. “Okay, yeah, obviously we are still going to be us, but I’d feel like a total dick for fucking you and then ignoring you, do you get that now?”

All I could do was fall silent at the sincerity of his words.

I hated, and I mean  _ really _ hated when he acted human-No, not even humans were that honest…

“…”

Once again, Shizuo Heiwajima was unpredictable as ever.

“You don’t have to say anything. Just understand that I’m not like that…” his voice softened.

I couldn’t help but blink a few times in thought, not certain of my own voice yet. It took a lot to put me in a position where I was speechless, but the blonde seemed to do it in just one blow. He must have realized that too.

“You can just nod, if you want.”

Hesitantly, I nodded.

“Good…”

Having yet another breakthrough, standing awkwardly in just our towels, I eventually cleared my throat.

“If you’ll excuse me then” I began quietly, “I would like to shower.”

“Be my guest.”

“And if you wouldn’t mind calling room service to bring up more sheets…”

“…got it.”

With that I turned back towards the door, shutting it soundlessly behind me. Still standing there with my hand on the handle, I let out a deep sigh.

_ What am I ever going to do about you Shizu-chan?You really do make things difficult for me. _

The heat of the water felt soothing against my skin and exhausted muscles. With closed eyes I stood looking up, letting the water cascade down my face. It was refreshing, feeling the salt from my skin streaming down my body. I could finally feel clean again, as I washed away the impurities that pooled at the basin of the shower, collecting before they would be swallowed up by the drain. Yet, despite the relaxing and private atmosphere, my mind wouldn’t shut off...Well, when did it ever?

But Shizuo monopolized everything. Questions, mostly, and it was frustrating when I could only make assumptions. I hated not knowing the facts.

What little I  _ did _ know, was that the blonde was the type who laid all his emotions out on a table; a completely open book. He was honest when it came to his feelings, putting them into actions instead of words. There was no middle ground with him, as he only thought in extremes. That much I knew was true. Yet…

There was never any logic behind his so-called reasoning. Nothing that could in the slightest bit, be traced back to realism, something I could grasp and understand. I still knew nothing on how his brain worked. Aside from the fact that he was a stupid protozoan.

_ A protozoan that I- _

I shook my head. No, I didn’t like him. Having exclusive feelings for someone just wasn’t in my nature, that I was sure of.

However, as Shizuo so simply put it, “ _ I know you go out of your way to make people’s life hell, but I really don’t think you would go  _ this _ far without some other purpose _ ”, kept ringing in the back of my mind.

Shinra would say just about the same thing…

I found myself frowning at the unwelcome realization that I was at a standstill with my inner thoughts. I tried to come up with conclusive logic for why things were playing out this way.

_Well…I’ll admit Shizu-chan is definitely more fun to mess with…I can’t say that I get that same kind of exhilaration from other humans…So there’s that._ _Shizu-chan also has…_ physical _attractive attributes. I won’t deny the obvious…And we did just-_ “ah, fuck.”

Slowly the walls of denial I had built were crumbling with every possible word of reason. To my complete and utter dismay, with an irritated sigh, I accepted that I  _ may _ feel  _ something  _ towards the blonde. Whatever that feeling may be.

I opened my eyes looking down at my hands; palms and fingertips starting to prune, much like my ego. I was getting annoyed from the unwanted tangents my mind seemed to like revisiting, and decided to busy myself with a necessary distraction instead of just waiting for an unlikely epiphany.

I bent down to grab my shampoo, when I felt the cap was loose.

“Can’t say that I remember leaving this--”

My hand withdrew mid-reach as the sudden thought hit me.

“...”

_ That damned bastard! Now he’s going to smell like me too?! _

I eyed his cheap convenience-store-brand 2 in 1 shampoo and conditioner sitting. Right. Beside. My own products.

Out of my irritation and need to scold him, I quickly and aggressively began scrubbing at my scalp, wanting to get the shower over with sooner rather than prolong the privacy with my intrusive thoughts.

Washing my body thoroughly five times over, I deemed good enough to rid myself of brute germs. I shut the water off, dried myself with a fresh towel and looked around for the change of clothes. Clothes I didn't recall grabbing in the first place.

I sighed for the umpteenth time, wrapped myself in a towel and walked out of the bathroom. To my surprise the blonde had already called for new sheets and was currently making the second bed.

“You’re done already?” he said looking up at me quizzically.

With my back to him as I rummaged through my drawer for underwear, I replied, “compared to you, my showers are significantly longer. Then again, I’m sure using human showers are quite difficult for animals that are used to licking themselves to bathe.”

“And compared to the average human, your showers usually last five times longer than that.”

This time I turned to look at him.

“Yes, well, my mood was spoiled when I realized you used my shampoo. Are you going to start using my toothbrush now, as well?”

“That’s pretty gross actually, considering the shit that comes out of your mouth,” he said dropping the pillow he was fluffing and taking a step towards me.

“Hmph, well, you’ve kissed me, so I don’t see what the problem is.”

“And you’ve kissed me, even though you assume I lick myself to clean.”

“Are you confirming that assumption?”

“Are you going to continue to deny your feelings while standing in a nothing but a towel?” he said, mere inches away, looking down at me.

“You’re right, I have more important things to do than argue with the mental capacity of a sack of potatoes.” I was glaring at him, but it didn't have the same effect as it did when I was standing across from him. He wasn’t getting the full effect this time, because I had to strain my neck up to look him in the eye. Otherwise, I wasn’t normally this bothered by our height differences.

“So you are going to deny them, then?”

“I’m  _ going  _ to dry my hair.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the quick update! I'll try to get Shizuo's chapter out soon!! Thanks again for all the kudos and comments! Until next time~


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I can't believe I'm actually updating this early. All the demand about Shizuo's chapter motivated me to get this out sooner! Especially since the last chapter was so short, I'm here to make it up to you guys! Also ft. Kasuka.  
> Enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

 

I watched as the raven disappeared behind the door, not quite slamming it behind him. I rolled my eyes at his over-dramatic tendencies, but brushed it off as something he would just have to get over by himself, eventually. Whenever that may be.

With an exhausted sigh, I fell to the foot of the bed, leaning back with outstretched arms, and collapsing onto the soft padding behind me. I closed my eyes, as if waiting for the heaviness of my lids to finally cast me into a peaceful slumber. As much as I wanted to just fall asleep right then and there, my mind still felt restless.

_ He’ll talk when he’s ready, I guess. _

Despite my attempts to relax in the silence, the only sound to be heard was the faint noise of the flea drying his hair in the bathroom, I tried to embrace the emptiness of the room. For the first time in a while, it was nice to just  _ breathe,  _ and have some space. It wasn’t that I didn’t mind my current rooming situation, but the only real peace and quiet I got around here was when I went out for a smoke in the cold. Otherwise, between the flea and Shinra, peace and quiet didn’t even  _ exist _ .

However, even with that said...I was lucky to have friends like them.

Shinra I’d known since elementary school, where he wouldn’t stop harassing me about the possible ‘science’ behind my strength. He’d been like an annoying cold I couldn’t shake for weeks, so I eventually gave up trying to get rid of him. He definitely pissed me off, but he never really... _ did _ anything other than talk nonstop about random nonsense I couldn’t understand. Eventually he just became like a mosquito buzzing in my ear that I learned to drown out.

Kadota I hadn’t met until I started high school at Rajin, along with his other odd friends that tagged along with him. He was one of those people that I could sense had an awareness of personal space and boundaries, so we got along just fine. In fact, he’s one of the few people I haven’t felt the need to punch. He had a good aura to him too. He was a bright guy and pretty optimistic person in general. Therefore he was essential to our little quartet of friends. That was, if you counted Izaya.

Izaya Orihara was...different from most people. I needn’t be reminded again of how we met, but as for  _ most  _ people, well...

Most people enjoyed spending time with friends or loved ones, enjoyed talking and laughing with one another over a holiday break with some tea or hot pot. Some preferred going out in groups during festivals or on the weekends, maybe to a favourite restaurant or karaoke bar. Others liked to indulge in their hobbies privately, perhaps keeping secrets or discreet interests that they fear might ruin the perception of others.

Then there was Izaya, whose hobbies consisted of playing mind games with people he found senseless, gullible or otherwise amusing. He “ _ loved _ ” humans, so he’d tell you, but I didn’t really think he knew what the word ‘ _ love _ ’ truly meant. He had a twisted outlook on life, and a matching personality to go with it. Orihara Izaya was known for ruining lives, reputations, relationships, and just about anything else he found interesting. He orchestrated schemes and lied about anything and everything to anyone and everyone,  _ including himself. _

  
  


It was certainly an interesting group, that was for sure. There was never a hint of a dull moment between the four of us. Even with my longing for peace, one  _ particular _ individual made sure that that goal was always slightly out of reach.

Day in and day out, it would come down to just the two of us riled up over something miniscule. Always ending with the same result. He was always running away from me, and I was always running after him. Much like how things were now. I had finally given up chasing him and he had stopped to let me catch him. You’d think it would stop there, that we would be tired of running. But sure enough, the flea was right back up again running away from something else. Something he feared greater than the violence that usually followed him.

It was affection.

The idea that someone might actually care deeply about him. Even if it was the same guy who threatened to kill him a hundred times over for three, long years. He would run away from an emotion he wasn’t familiar with enough to fake. He would run away from his feelings, and he would keep running until he took these emotions with him to his grave.  _ That _ was the only Izaya the world was allowed to see.

But he had shown me more, as much as he wanted to deny it.

There was only one person I could think to turn to in situations like these. Only one person who I could truly trust with the fragility of my own emotions.

I opened my eyes and looked for my phone that I had left to charge on the table.

Despite being younger, Kasuka was mature for his age. I always admired his level-headedness and logistical way of thinking when one of us was in a tight squeeze. He didn’t seem to mind when I asked for his advice, however, I always felt a little guilty for burdening him with his older brother’s delima’s...

Double checking the display on the clock sitting  on the night table, it was a little past midnight on a Saturday. Something told me to go ahead and reach out to my brother. If not for an answer, but for an non-judgemental ear to listen.  After all, he was the only one that genuinely understood me.

I grabbed my phone and went back to lay in that same spot in bed. To my surprise, I had several missed calls and ‘happy birthday’ texts from Kasuka, my mom, and even her boyfriend had reached out to say, “Happy 18th birthday, sport!”. It made me smile, but I felt a pang of guilt for not contacting them earlier today, knowing they would at least like to check in with me. I made a mental note to do that first thing in the morning, as I scrolled, looking for the previous messages I had received from my brother.

 

Kasuka : [ You shouldn’t speak so lowly of yourself, Brother. ]

 

Kasuka : [ “People change their mind. Today you hate someone, tomorrow you may become fond of them.” -Naoki from Love in Tokyo ]

 

Kasuka : [ Happy birthday, Brother. I tried calling, but I figured you were busy. ]

 

Kasuka : [ Mother says happy birthday too. ]

 

I smiled at the remembrance of  the first couple of messages Kasuka had sent me a few days ago. I was certain now, that I was in need of his wisdom. I just hoped he was awake.

 

Shizuo : [ Thanks Kasuka. Sorry I didn’t pick up earlier, my phone was in the hotel all day. Tell mom I said thanks too. I promise to call first thing in the morning. ]

 

I set my phone down but it almost immediately vibrated.

 

Kasuka : [ I hope you had a good birthday, Brother. I will tell her. ]

 

Shizuo : [ I didn’t expect you to be awake...unless I woke you up...sorry… ]

 

Kasuka : [It’s fine. I was already awake. ]

 

I wasn’t sure if that was really the case, but chose to ignore it.

 

Shizuo : [ Can I ask you something? ]

 

Kasuka : [ Anything. ]

 

I tried typing out different ways of proclaiming my predicament, but kept backspacing because no matter how I worded it, it sounded more and more lame each time. Before I could send anything he had already responded.

 

Kasuka : [ Is it about Izaya-san? ]

 

My heart sped up. It felt like it had been so long since I had seen him last, that I almost forgot how perceptive Kasuka was.

 

Shizuo : [ yeah… ]

Shizuo : [ He was actually the one that texted you before… ]

 

Kasuka : [ I see. ]

 

Shizuo : [ I think...there might be something though. ]

 

Kasuka : [ Something, Brother? ]

 

“...”

 

Shizuo : [ I think...I might have feelings for him. ]

 

I couldn’t stop myself from getting slightly flustered from telling my younger brother something like this for the first time. Especially since I didn’t usually have a soft side to openly show. This was a huge breakthrough already, despite the closeness of our relationship.

Anxiety of not hearing from him immediately made me picture his disapproving expression. My heart was nearly beating out of my chest as I tried to imagine what kind of lecture he might send. A few minutes had passed before I got my next response.

 

Kasuka : [ Did you try showing him how you feel? ]

 

Relieved by his understanding, I was even more flustered at the inquisition.

 

Shizuo : [ ...something like that. ]

 

_ That was a terrible response! Why did I say that! What if he asks what I mean by that?!?! _

I quickly typed again :

 

Shizuo : [ Let’s just say he knows I have feelings for him. ]

Shizuo : [And I’m pretty sure he feels the same way. ]

 

Kasuka : [ That’s a good thing, right? ]

 

I could hear Kasuka’s unwavering tone as I read the message, and only I would be able to pick up the confusion behind his question.

 

Shizuo : [ He doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions. Like he won’t come to terms with them or accept them..but, in a way, he accepts me. ]

 

Kasuka : [ This is the same person who got you hit by a truck freshmen year right... ]

Kasuka : [ ...The person you call ‘flea’? ]

 

I could definitely hear the sternness now, in his question.

 

Shizuo : [ That’s...yes. It’s the same flea. ]

 

Kasuka : [ ...Brother I thought you wanted to kill him. ]

 

Shizuo : [ So did I. ]

 

I couldn’t believe how stupid I sounded.

 

Kasuka : [ I always thought the ‘flea’ person liked you back. He seems to like harassing you...Maybe that’s just Izaya-san’s way of telling you he has feelings for you too, because he doesn’t know how to say it. ]

 

Hearing Kasuka putting that much effort into a text made me reread it a few times to absorb all of what he was trying to get across.

_ But wait…”liked you BACK”?! _

_ Had Kasuka always assumed I had feelings for him the whole time?! _

A shiver ran down my spine, feeling betrayed and even more embarrassed now. Shinra was one thing but I  _ lived _ with my brother.

I was trying to remember anything that would have in the slightest bit, even  _ hinted _ of me having feelings for that... _ that damn louse _ . How could Kasuka think something so absurd? If anything, he was always the ear end of hearing me  _ complain _ about the flea everyday I came home from school!

“...”

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. There was a more pressing matter at the moment; a certain  _ pest _ who would eventually have to come out of the bathroom, I thought, as I side-eyed it.

 

Shizuo : [ I think he has a hard time coping with someone liking him back. He’s afraid of letting people get close to him…he lies to himself a lot. ]

 

Kasuka : [ Have you told him directly how you feel? Perhaps that would reassure him. ]

 

I hit my head back against the wooden board. Not even  _ I  _ thought I was ready for that conversation, honestly.

 

Shizuo : [ I don’t know what to say or how to say it. ]

 

Kasuka : [ I’m sure, when the time comes, you’ll know exactly what to say, Brother. If his feelings for you are true, he will have the response you are looking for. Don’t rush yourself. ]

Kasuka : [ “The future is not a straight line. It is filled with many crossroads. There must be a future that we can choose for ourselves.” -Akira (1988) ]

 

I did feel a wave of relief wash over me at his reassuring words. A familiar smile crept on my face, as it always did when I received cheesy one-liners as part of my life advice. He was right, I just needed to go with the flow. Soon enough Izaya would realize that it’s pointless to run away from his feelings forever. And maybe by that time I’d know what to say to him.

I thanked Kasuka for being understanding and apologized for keeping him up so late.

 

Kasuka : [ It’s fine, Brother. It was good to hear from you. ]

 

We told each other goodnight and I closed my phone with a sigh of relief.

“Surely, I thought someone must be dying by the look on your face while you were texting so aggressively. I’m surprised that old thing didn’t snap in half.”

I jumped at the sudden voice intruding my thoughts.

Looking up to meet Izaya standing at the foot of the bed decorated in yet, another unsurprising black ensemble with a hand on his narrow hip. His face shown no expression and his voice was apathetic. There wasn’t even a wave of emotion to his usual teasing tone.

“Uh...Kas-”

“How is your little brother? Wishing you a happy, promising, welcome into adulthood?” He said as he began climbing his way onto the bed.

My surprise moved me to the side to make room for him, as we sat in matching positions; legs outstretched with our backs against the headboard. Neither of us made eye contact.

“Yeah. I forgot to call my family today...Well, I guess it was yesterday now, huh?”

There was an eerie silence between us.

“Have you…” I drifted off before firmly stating my question. “Have you even heard from your family since we came here?” It was too late before I could correct the sour tone in my voice, having remembering our more than awkward conversation at the cafe.

Izaya didn’t seem to care either way.

“My father sent me a grocery list of things to pick up on my way home from school, yesterday.” As if mocking himself, he smiled inwardly. “I told him that the market was out of the ingredients to make dinner.”

“Did you now…”

“Then I forwarded the message to my sisters for them to deal with it. It isn’t like my family eats together regularly, anyway.”

“Are you close to them?”

“Hah!” He snickered to himself. “Those two? I wouldn’t say we’re close at all, really. The both of them are just one big thorn in my side…” He looked over his shoulder at me, sending me a casual smile. “But don’t worry, they’re not  _ nearly _ as bad as you. In fact, I don’t think anyone can be as terrible as you are, Shizu-chan~.”

I gave him a disgruntled look as our eyes met. The playful glint in his eyes was back and something tugged at the corner of his lips.

“I’ve decided I’m not in a bad mood anymore,” he stated, matter-of-factually.

“Oh? And what could have possibly happened in these past thirty seconds that made you decide that?”

“That hideous face you made,” he grinned. “It reminded me that if I don’t smile more, I’ll end up looking as run down as you do when I turn 18.” He leaned over and poked the space between my eyebrows that furrowed as usual, prodding it harshly. “Maybe I should have gotten you some anti-aging cream as a present instead, hm?”

“I don’t think I need that just yet,” I responded flatly, swatting his hand away.

“Suit yourself,” he shrugged, “it probably wouldn’t even work on a monster like you anyway.”

“Will you ever give that up?”

“I’m only stating the obvious, Shizu-”

Before he could continue whatever monotonous spiel he was going to go on about, I gently enough put my arm out to knock him onto his side of the mattress, taking him by surprise. I crossed my arms again smirking down at him from my peripheral.

He noticed my change in mood as well, and smiled his familiar up-to-no-good smirk. He didn’t bother fully getting up, but instead propped his head up on his hand.

“Ah, careful now, I can only hide so many bruises,” he chided.

“Huh?”

He rolled up his sleeve to show a newly blooming bruise around his small wrist. The back of his hand also had a yellow-green undertone to it that spread up to his knuckles.

“‘The hell did you do now-”

“ _ YOU  _ did this, actually,” he said admiring the forming purple splotches of skin.

“ _ I _ -!”

“Do you not remember? Hm let’s see…’You wanted to know what I was into, right?’,” he recited with his eyes closed as if he had been mentally rehearsing the line. “That’s what you said to me when you pinned m-”

“Okay, okay! I get it!” I could feel the blood rushing to my cheeks, covering his mouth with my hand. The soft lips pressed under my palm shifted into what I knew was a condescending smile. “Um...Sorry about that…” I mumbled, not daring to lock eyes.

He gently moved my hand out of the way with his own, not letting go.

“Ah, but it’s just like like an animal, ne? Trying to leave your mark,” he chuckled.

“I didn’t  _ try _ to mark you.”

“But you did  _ successfully _ -”

“Shhh! Dammit!” I shushed him waving another frantic hand against his lips to silence him again. “It’s weird when you...when you just say it so  _ casually _ !”

He was grinning wider than before now when he pushed my hand out of the way.

“Shizu-chan, what’s there to be  _ embarrassed  _ about? You shouldn’t be ashamed of how kinky you really are! I already knew that getting myself into the situation!” He said as his voice got louder.

“Flea, shut up!” I said in a very impatiently loud whisper. I started the countdown from ten in my head.

“Hmm...I wonder, do you think the neighbors heard us? Or maybe...felt us?” he cooed past his cheshire grin.

My blood ran cold and it dawned on me that I hadn’t thought about the possibility of us being loud.  _ Too _ loud.

“If I remember, our whole graduating class share the same hallway.. _.Hmm _ , which of our lucky classmates will it be, I wonder~?” he said, side-eyeing the wall next to us. “Or maybe sound traveled far enough across the hall to Shinra and Dotachin’s room? Do you think people are still over there?”

My stomach started to knot and I broke into a nervous sweat.

“Ah, but no one knocked and told us to be quiet, so maybe no one heard us after all...Unless of course, they just didn’t have the heart to tell us to stop~,” he lowered his voice in a thick, velvety tone.

“Izaya-kun…” I felt a low growl rising in my throat.

“What did you tell the front desk by the way? Did they giggle when you called so late at night in need of new sheets?” he snickered.

“No! I told them you had a fucking bloody nose!”

“Did you now? And where exactly was the blood?”

The fucking permanent smirk plastered on his goddamn face had me boiling.  _ How could he find this amusing?! What if people found out?! What if we get in trouble?! Suspended, even?!?! _

“Iiiiza-”

“Oh fine, I’ll stop. You look like you’re going to have an aneurism with all that blood going to your face,” he pouted, only looking half as amused as before. “You don’t have to worry about people hearing us. The rooms are soundproof. I saw it on the brochure.”

I could finally let out the breath I had been holding.  _ Well there goes half of my anxiety. _

“Shinra obviously didn’t text you by the looks of it, but he actually _ was  _ concerned by how many shots I took and asked if I was okay.”

“Oh.” Was all I could muster to say.

“I told him I just needed to sleep it off and he said that, ‘as your unofficial doctors you should both drink lots of water to flush out your systems.’...I’m starting to get a pounding headache myself, so I’m going to take him up on that brilliant idea.” The raven got up and padded over to the mini fridge, getting two water bottles.

“Thanks,” I responded when he handed me mine.

“I hope your worries have been eased,” he spoke into the bottle as he tipped his head back to take a sip.

I followed suit, still irritated that the louse would create those fears in the first place.

We didn’t say much else after that. I drank two bottles of water while flea finished brushing his teeth. It was past 2am and I was barely holding on. I got up to use the bathroom after Izaya was done, half awake as finished my nightly routine.

Leaving just the small night light on in the bathroom, I walked back into the darkness of the room where the flea had already turned off all the lights, and fumbled my way around to my bed.

Unbeknownst to me, it was already occupied when I was climbed under the covers, stopping midway.

“Flea, what are you doing? This is my bed.”

“...”

I sighed. “Izaya…”

“Isn’t it like...a thing...to…” he began slowly.

“...to?”

“Nevermind.”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring him and tucked myself in next to him. I made sure to leave enough breathing space between us. Just closing my eyes, I could already feel sleep washing over me. I was almost there when I felt something, or some _ one _ nuzzle into my shoulder. Maybe I was too tired to think or care, but I subconsciously found his waist and pulled him over to my side of the bed.

I could hear his surprised gasp at the suddenly close proximity of our bodies. He waited a moment to shift into a position that was more comfortable, and settled on having his back towards my chest. That was fine with me, and of course he’d deny and blame me for everything in the morning, but I didn’t care. I could feel his hair tickling my chin, and for some reason it smelled like my shampoo...Of course it could have very well been my imagination, as well, feeling him turn back to face me, if only for a moment, to peck my nose and whisper an almost inaudible, “goodnight, Shizu-chan”.

All I remembered was feeling his warm body next to mine; breathing in sync, slowly relaxing and giving into the sleep that consumed him. I didn’t dream that night, but there wasn’t anything else I’d rather been thinking about once I did finally drift off into a calm, peaceful, slumber. 

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure when I'll be getting the next chapter out, but hopefully it will be on my usual Sundays. I'm finally in the process of getting my school paperwork in order after getting my transcript, so now comes the real challenge =_=.  
> I wanted to bring up in advance though, that as you guys know, these chapters have already been written. I am just going through and editing what was there (given I usually add about another 1-2k words each), but once I reach the point from where I finished before, the chapter put out might slow down some...I'm hoping it doesn't, but ah, I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it ^^; Just thought I'd let you all know. I /have/ been doing a little organizing and planning on what comes after that, so I /do/ know where I want this story to go...That being said, if anyone wanted to suggest anything they'd want to see in here, I can try to include it? If it fits, that is. But yeah, I'm open to suggestions!  
> And as always, thank you all for the kudos and comments! Until next time ~


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Sorry for not updating last Sunday. Good news? You get two this weekend instead! I wanted to know how you guys felt about that? Skipping one update and doing two the next time? I'd really like your feedback!  
> This one should be entertaining since it's in Izaya's pov. Actually the next few sequences will be Izaya, Shizuo, Izaya, Shizuo, Izaya with a little bit of Shizuo at the end of that one...So YES! I actually do have the next 5 chapters planned and done being edited (I consumed waaay to much coffee to be healthy today and breezed through it, haha). That means after that though, it's free game for new ideas! Yup, everything between now and the next 5 have been redone and are finalized! We can finally move on to bigger and better things! So I'd say in about a month or so, I'll have all new content (isn't that exciting~?). I'm wondering what the pace of production will be like then, so I'll have to start a new routine/habit.  
> Thankfully, I already have a long list of new ideas that I'll be adding to the story--prepare for heartbreak and jealousy wooo~  
> That's all for tonight! The next chapter will be up tomorrow evening!

_ Izaya _

A sharp zipping sound from the opposite side of the room disrupted me from my slumber. I could tell by the light pouring in from behind closed eyes, that the curtains had been drawn, and it was probably some ungodly hour in the morning. Upon my half-awake state, I could feel the dull ache of last night’s cheap liquor stagnant in my brain. 

“Mmn…” I clamped my eyes shut, pulling the warm duvet over to cover my face from the warm, blinding rays emitting through the panes of glass. I rolled over away from the light source, sinking deeper into the mattress in attempts to disappear back into the darkness that kept teasing me.

The sudden increase in pressure at my sides jolted me awake as my shield was ripped away. My eyes snapped wide open, taking a moment to dilate and focus on the blurry figure that hovered above me. The heavy breathing and low growl was enough to tell me who exactly I would have to murder later. When I realized it was just Shizu-chan glowering down at me with eyes like daggers, I sighed and rolled over again lazily.

“How unfortunate to have to see  _ that _ first thing when I wake up,” I yawned apathetically.

A rough hand pushed my shoulder back over to pin me down, almost like how a jaguar would turn over their prey to look at it mercilessly in the eyes before snapping it’s neck between their teeth. I opened my eyes slowly, making my irritation clear and apparent, the situation not at all phasing. 

_ Really, how inconsiderate... _

His face was contorted into complete fury; reddening, with the nastiest scowl I’d seen him wear in a long time.

I rolled my eyes. “Is there a purpose for you  _ violating _ me and depriving me from my sleep?” I grimaced. “Or is this just how you usually ask your master to take you out on a morning walk?”

“Izaya…” he growled ominously.

Did he  _ always  _ have to be such a brute this early? The day had only just started and something already had him raving...

“If you have something you  _ need _ to tell me then just go ahead...and…” my voice broke off after my focus trailed from his horrendous expression to the dark purple splotches on either side of his neck.

Almost in disbelief, my eyes widened completely and I had to smack a hand over my mouth to suppress the loud cackle that wanted to escape my lips. Immediately my eyes started to water from the thought of the blonde’s face when he must have used the bathroom earlier and noticed in the mirror.

Judging by the vein in his temple that looked promising enough to burst, he knew that  _ I _ knew exactly what had royally pissed him off.

“You dirty flea  _ bastard! _ ” he spat in my face, hoisting me upright from the collar of my shirt.

I couldn’t hold back my laughter anymore and I could only watch how he got more and more infuriated with each passing second before tossing me roughly back onto the bed.

“You think this is fucking funny?!” he barked, pointing to his jugular at one of the dark blemishes.

“I don’t know what’s better, the fact that you really  _ can  _ get hickies or your reaction to thinking you wouldn’t!” I snickered.

“ _ Fix. This. Now,”  _ he snapped, still straddling over me.

“Yes, let me just _ magically  _ heal your broken capillaries,” I said sarcastically with an eye roll, shifting under him to sit up.

Had all his emotions not been channeled to anger, I wondered if he would have noticed his legs mounted on either side of my hips. Imagining the circumstance amused me.

“Instead, Shizu-chan,” I smirked up at him, reaching out to thumb over the bruise, “I could just get my knife and cut you here so no one could tell the difference~.” I chirped as I dug my thumbnail into the mark.

He grabbed my wrist with an almost crushing force and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to hold back the noise that wanted to escape. Knowing that he was not in any way of a reasonable mood, I let go of the hold I had on his neck and smiled softly.

“I’ll see what I can do...Meanwhile, what time is it? Where is my phone?” I said as evenly as I could, as the tips of my fingers were beginning to go numb.

The pressure around my hand loosened just enough for blood to start flowing again, despite him pulling me closer, mere inches away from his face. Our eyes locked; what usually were warm, auric eyes were now cold and fierce, penetrating into my soul. I couldn’t help but shudder at the sheer madness radiating from the other.

My expression softened, but sharp smile remained as I brought a hand to caress his cheek. I saw that the mark on my wrist had faded overnight to an ugly shade of green, my knuckles still slightly swollen.

“I suppose it’s an eye for an eye, now, isn’t it?”

From his peripheral, he eyed the wound discolouring the otherwise unmarred skin, porcelain against his sun-kissed flesh.

“Ah, but I suppose you’re right. Answering  _ these  _ questions others might ask would be rather troublesome, ne?”

He let go of the hold he had on my other arm and backed away, shrugging himself off the bed and walking towards the closet. He dressed himself in his coat and scarf, despite still sporting his pajama bottoms. Double checking to make sure he had his pack of cancer sticks, he left through the door without another word.

I sighed loudly, stretching my arms over my head.

_ With him gone I might be able to get ready in peace... _ I thought to myself, smiling.

Although I would have loved to, sleep was out of the picture. Rare moments like these, when I was left alone during Shizuo’s cigarette breaks were always refreshing.

_ First things first, where is my phone? _

I grabbed my phone off the night table, checking missed messages. No one important had contacted me-my new employer knew I was on vacation and told me he would notify me if there was an emergency and he needed contact information.

There were a few missed calls from Shinra; a selfie taken from his phone with Togusa and Kadota most likely passed out on the couch in the background. Erika had sent 108 messages; the first few of which were winky faces and other rather complicated emoticons. Somewhere around the tenth text from her were a few mp3 messages, as she put, “to set the mood”. Rolling my eyes I scrolled through quickly enough to barely scan the various intercourse positions she had heard great reviews from.

“...”

At which point I decided I was bored and erased the one-sided conversation from my phone entirely.

The twins had also texted me to wish Shizuo a happy birthday.

_ As if they really expected me to pass on such a trivial message from mere elementary school children… _

For some unknown reason they had taken a liking to the blonde; probably to spite me.

I tossed my phone aside and was going to make use of my time and privacy to change. I brushed my teeth first, the stale aftertaste of alcohol and slight burning sensation remained against the back of my throat. Now that I thought about it, Shizuo's voice had sounded raspier than usual as well.

I stripped myself from my shirt and silk pajama bottoms when I saw it. A long trail of bruises on my inner thighs.

I had to remember to breathe after a moment of being so surprised, then and only  _ then, _ did I realize that my legs were killing me. The blood rushed to my cheeks as I continued to stare and the contusions, double checking myself in the full body mirror. Of course I always had other faded red marks and yellow splotches from weeks past from various  _ other _ incidents regarding the blonde (however intentionally violent they may be), but those weren’t nearly as noticeable anymore to be considered a distraction. Only I knew where and why they were there in the first place. Each one marked a story from mere weeks ago, where our terms had been anything  _ but _ agreeable...Well, unless you consider mutual loathing a similar disposition.

Thankfully the bruises didn’t show much past the ends of my briefs, though the likeliness that I would be wearing shorts on this excursion were slight to none, I was still grateful. However, seeing myself in such a state, I closed my eyes to remember  _ why _ and what had  _ left  _ me like this.

_ Shizuo did this. _

I leaned against the counter of the sink for support, gripping it’s edges and smirking to myself.

_ Shizuo did this to me… _

Images from the night before flashed through my mind as I dug my fingernails into the granite.

_ Hot breaths panting against each other, lips wet from the other’s saliva, damp skin brushing up against each other, muscle spasms, then warm, sticky- _

I opened my eyes slowly, my downcast vision wasn’t all that surprising,  _ especially _ with all of those thoughts still fresh in my mind. Of course my body was still undoubtedly more sensitive from such intimate contact only a handful of hours ago. Just barely thinking about it caused my body to react.

I avoided looking in the mirror or at myself as I pulled my jeans on and  _ almost _ got away with ignoring the gentle brush of fabric against my slightly hard-

The door to the room outside opened, interrupting my thoughts, and judging by the not-quite slam when it closed, the blonde was back from his smoke break.

I quickly zipped and fastened the button, all while mentally chanting my turn offs, thinking about work, breakfast and just about anything else that wasn’t sexual involving the brute, and pulled over my shirt.

I opened the door, but was almost startled by the blonde looming right outside the doorway, glaring at me expectantly.

“Good day, Shizu-chan. Did the fresh air help clear up that foul attitude from this morning?” I said with a bright smile.

His eyebrows only narrowed further in response.

“Chin up, Shizu-chan! I’m sure no one will even noti-”

_ Gently _ -if you could really call it that-he slammed his hand eye level against the door frame,  _ just _ lightly enough to not make a hole in the wall.

Anyone would have nearly jumped out of their own skin, had I not already been prepared for this kind of reaction, I simply closed my eyes at the breeze of the impact.

I could tell that he really was trying his hardest not to destroy everything in sight and cause his family millions in debt from ruining such a fine establishment. Kudos to him.

I opened my eyes and smiled again, this time more genuine but equally as malicious.

“The good news is, I thought of something to solve our little predicament,” I said ignoring his menacing scowl and walking under the bridge of his arm into the other room.

“What, then?” he growled, with a hint of hope.

I sat down on the end of the bed we had been sharing and crossed my legs.

“You need a neck massage. Luckily for you I’m feeling generous~,” I chimed happily.

“A  _ what?! _ ” he snapped.

“Don’t you know? Hickies are caused from lack of blood flow. Soooo…” I patted the open seat next to me.

The facial expression he was wearing lay somewhere between disgust and disbelief at my offer.

“... _ Massages _ ,” I encouraged him, “help increase blood flow.” I grabbed his arm and pulled his complying deadweight over to the bed and sat him down.

After a moment of contemplation, he hesitantly shrugged his coat and scarf off and turned his back towards me. Smiling to myself at the small accomplishment, I sat back on my heels, flexing my hands a bit before reaching for the blonde’s trapezius muscles.

The sensation that always occurred during physical contact with the brute sent tiny waves of shock through my body at first touch. I could see the villous hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as well, as he had to grow accustom to the feel of soft hands grazing the breadth of his shoulders.

Ever so gently, as if still hovering over the skin, I could feel the heat radiating from his body despite just coming from outside. Just like he was hot-headed, I was sure that his blood was figuratively and literally boiling as well-even during the rarity of his calmer moments. The smooth surface of his skin was taut against the steel muscles that made up his neck; ones’ strong enough to withstand getting hit by moving vehicles and taking blows from other assaults without breaking or shattering completely. It was fascinating; all of these inhuman characteristics were camouflaged by the appearance of a relatively average high school boy.

There was something to be said about his outward persona, just by looking at Shizuo. He was several centimeters taller than even your usually tallest classmates, however he wasn’t necessarily a big guy. The older male, despite his immense amount of strength, was by no means considered buff. The muscle definition was there, but his otherwise lean physique completely concealed how monstrous he could really be.

His other iconic feature was his mop of bleach blonde hair. I had heard from various sources that his reasoning for dying it was suggested to him to warn others to not pick fights with him. Needless to say, it hadn’t quite worked in his favor, but I assumed he kept up the look for the sake of the suggester...Or perhaps, Shizuo considered himself more attractive this way. I couldn’t help but snicker inwardly at the thought.

It was true that most people found Shizuo Heiwajima to be intimidating either because they had witnessed one of his temper tantrums firsthand, or had been on the receiving end of it. Meaning, that despite his height and bright hair, there were some idiots out there who didn’t believe in the rumors,  _ or _ hadn’t heard of them in the first place. In which case, much to Shizuo’s dismay, he was still a magnet to violence.

Gentle touches like these must be hard to come by, I thought, as I began to massage the tissue around his collar. As expected, he was tense at the thought of his ex-enemy having their hands softly gripping his completely unprotected esophagus. I knew that if I tried anything, there would be no hesitation to snap my wrists, whether he thought about it first or not, it was a primal instinct to him. The steady rise and fall of his shoulders and pulse hard against my fingertips was a reminder that Shizuo was very capable of just that.

I was no idiot however, and I knew where my boundaries were even if I  _ did _ push them to their limits most of the time. Unlike the beast, I thought ahead before I acted. There was less time for regret that way. Shizuo, was the polar opposite, he lead a life full of the burdens he had only himself to blame for. But that’s just the way things were and always would be.

“Flea.”

I shook out of my dazed state realizing that I had stopped, hands still around the brute’s neck.

“Ah, Shizu-chan, you’ll be happy to know that they’ve faded some!” I said, clapping my hands together.

He immediately got up to look in the mirror hanging on the wall to inspect my handwork.

“The fuck, flea? They look exactly the same!” he shouted.

“No, no, there’s definitely a difference!” I insisted, standing up to his side. “They were undoubtedly a shade darker before,” I said in affirmation, hiding my smirk behind his shoulder.

He ran an irritable hand through his hair and sat back down.

“These are never going away, are they?” he said surprisingly calm, with a sigh.

I sat down next to him crossing my legs, reaching for my phone to idly scroll as I listened.

“What-....What am I even gonna tell people?!” he asked rhetorically in defeat. There was still frustration in his tone, but he seemed to have hit rock bottom now.

“Am I really gonna have to wear a scarf all the time? How the hell do people hide these?”

I swore I heard a gasp of realization followed by a long silence. My curiosity got the better of me and I looked away from my phone to meet his gaze.

He said nothing until I inquired with a, “yes?”

“Do you have any makeup?”

I dropped my phone and immediately burst into a loud cackle. The dumbfounded look on his face paired with the even dumber question was  _ exactly _ something only the blonde would have come up with. I wiped the tears from my eyes and when my breathing had settled I gave him one of my, “ _ I truly pity you _ ”, expressions.

“Shizu-chan, I’m actually kind of insulted that you would ask, quite frankly...These good looks are all genetics, there’s no  _ need  _ for me to wear makeup, obviously.”

“It was just a question, you damn louse.” He crossed his arms looking like a pouty kid who was being told ‘no’ in the candy shop..

I sighed deeply and scrolled through my phone for a certain number, dialing it and holding it up to my ear. The blonde watched me carefully as I did so.

On the third ring a feminine voice sang merrily in my ear.

“Goooooood morning, Iza-Iza! I want to hear all about your-”

“Ah, Erika, I’m so glad you picked up, I have a favor I wanted to ask you,” I quickly interrupted, not wanting to go down  _ that _ tangent with her.

In my other ear I heard Shizuo hiss, “YOU CALLED ERIKA?!” in a raspy whisper.

I put my hand up to shut him up.

“Oh? Sure! What do you need? Did you get the pictures I sent you?”

“Ah, yes, I got a good laugh out of it. But I’m calling because you were the only person I knew I could ask…”

Beside me, the blonde gave me a quizzical expression.

On the other line I heard a door shut, and on a much more serious note, Erika lowered her voice. “Alright, I’ll do my best to-”

“Do you have any makeup? I’m hungover and have terrible bags under my eyes and I refuse to walk around looking like a zombie.”

“...Oh.”

_ Sorry to disappoint, Erika, but those details are for myself only~. _

“Um. Yeah, I have my cosmetic bag with me right here, do you want me to bring it down to you?”

“That would be wonderful!” I chimed, “your next manga is on me, but only one~, choose wisely.” I hung up before she could respond, looking at the blonde expectantly.

“So now we wait.”

And so we did. Silently at first, until the blonde spoke up.

“You really think this is going to work?”

“Well I don’t see why it wouldn’t, Shizu-chan.”

“What if people can tell that I covered it up?”

“Who would have thought a monster like you would care so much about appearance?” I scoffed.

He glowered at me. “This is still your fault.  _ You  _ were the one to give me the fuckin’ hickies,” he pointed angrily to remind me of the purple marks lining his jaw.

“It’s almost cute when  _ you  _ say it~.”

“Flea…”

There was a knock on the door before Shizuo could start the countdown.

I sprang up giving him an amused look and walked over to the door to answer it.

Erika stood there, eyes sparkling, with a Sailor Moon bag in her hands.

“You really are a lifesaver,” I said sweetly reaching for the bag before she pulled it away.

“Ah-ah-ah, where’s Shizuo?”

I couldn’t help but snort at the brute’s misfortune and the persistent girl.

There was a loud scuffle of Shizuo hiding himself behind me, so I braced my foot behind the door before our female friend broke it down.

“He’s passed out right now, and he sleeps like a rock when he’s hungover. Even  _ I  _ wouldn’t dare trying to wake him under these circumstances.”

She eyed me once over, studying my face.

“Hm. It’s a good thing I brought this then, you  _ do _ look like a zombie-but not like  _ Highschool of The Dead, _ zombie. Zombie is a little too over the top. I’d say more like Staz from Bloodlad or something. Maybe a genderbend Tomoko Kuroki,” she said obviously disappointed, handing me the bag.

_ Excuse me? _

“Just return it to me when you’re done.” Smiling, she left with a wink.

I closed the door, now irritated with the comment.

There was a low chuckle coming from behind me where Shizuo was now leaning against the bathroom door frame.

“Is this the thanks I get for trying to help you?” Sure, I hadn’t understood the exact shade of Erika’s observation, but I could tell it was no compliment.

“No, that’s karma.”

“I will gladly walk out of this room and follow Erika down the hall to give this back to her, you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I really enjoy writing this kind of angry, love-hate bickering and flirting, haha. Expect a lot more of that in the future!  
> In fact, as I was editing like 5 chapters tonight, my friend Feen and I were laughing hysterically at some of the stuff I had forgotten I had written. I'm so glad I'm confident enough in my writing now to actually /enjoy/ and not feel nervous or embarrassed about what I'm publishing! I hope you guys like it as much as I do ^^;  
> Once more, thanks again for all the kudos, comments and support you guys have shown me, whether it was from 2013 or just today, it really means a lot to me!! This has been a great coping mechanism for me, and knowing that it makes other people laugh and smile is a really heartwarming feeling :') Sorry to get all sappy randomly, but I seriously appreciate you all taking the time to even read this, lol.  
> Anyway, have a good night and I'll be back with more tomorrow~


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again tonight with another update! Let me know if you prefer me updating 2 chapters every other weekend or 1 chapter every weekend! I kind of like doing this because it's more of 'tease', if you will ;)  
> Hope you'll enjoy the fluff~

 

_ Shizuo _

 

The next thing I knew, I was standing too close to the flea in the spacious bathroom in front of the mirror. Izaya was laying the makeup out neatly on the counter, organizing them into small groups of items that looked similar to each other. I waited beside him, watching anxiously in the mirror not knowing just what I was in for. He looked focused, reading labels of things, opening each of them and trying out a patch on the back of his hand. I nervously cleared my throat to speak up.

“Shouldn’t we, you know...look up tutorials for this?”

“No need,” he replied curtly, without looking up.

I didn’t say anything after that, not wanting to press any farther, and instead just sat down on the closed toilet seat and waited for him to finish up whatever he was doing.

Once he had finished putting things into a system that I was pretty sure only he could decipher, he walked over to me with some kind of coloured pallet and a brush. I leaned away before he made contact with my skin.

“Wait…”

He sighed impatiently, moving back.

“Are you  _ sure _ you know what you’re doing? I thought you didn’t own makeup, ‘cause of your ‘genetics’ or whatever?”

“Yes, well you see, those genes skipped over my sisters, sadly. I’ve watched them do it to themselves and to each other countless times. I know what I’m doing.”

This time I didn’t back away and let him start to brush over my neck.

“You shouldn’t say that kind of stuff, louse. Those two are your family.”

“Just because we are related by blood, doesn’t make them any more special than other humans.” Despite the menace of his words, he said it cooly, without even batting an eye.

“You’re fucked up, flea. Whether you actually mean that-which I don’t think is true, and you’re just lying to yourself. Bottom line is, don’t say those kinds of things. Especially about girls.”

“You always did have a soft spot for women.”

“It’s not a soft spot, bastard, it’s called morals. Something you obviously don’t have.”

He smirked as he continued to dip the brush in the coloured mixture and dab it on the other side of my neck. I leaned away to allow him more access.

“By the way, those two wanted to wish you a happy birthday. It’s a little awkward now, isn’t it? Knowing what you’ve done with their beloved brother~.”

“...”

“Speaking of, have you told Kasuka how you celebrated yet? You two  _ are _ best buddies, ne?” he sneered.

“Absolutely not!” I growled, quickly backing away and putting up a hand to stop his movements, glaring in disgust.

He simply shrugged went back to the sink to grab another tube of makeup.

“So this will be our dirty little secret, then?” he asked in a voice without it’s usual demeanor.

“It’s nobody else’s business…” I scoffed, looking away.

He came back over with a neutral expression, now using his fingers to apply some cool, creamy liquid to my skin. He worked in silence for a while, going back and forth between me and the sink using different products, dabbing them each gently against the square of my jaw. Finally, he patted a nude coloured powder and stood back with a hand on his hip to examine his work.

“Well," he sighed outwardly, "if all else fails, I could change my profession to work in the makeup industry. Look for yourself.”

I got up hesitantly to look in the mirror. To my surprise, it was as if the marks had completely vanished. Bringing myself forward to get a closer look, there weren’t even any lines of discolouration. It blended in perfectly, I had to hand it to him.

My gaze crept over to him in the mirror, as I watched him putting some of that creamy stuff under his eyes. I smirked, thinking that Erika’s comment actually  _ had _ bothered him.

I studied him for a while, dabbing the nude liquid on his closed eyelid with the pad of his ring finger. His extensive, inky lashes feathered over his lower lid, casting a shadow that swept over the crest of his high cheekbones, occasionally fluttering at the sensitive touch. His hands, pale and skeletal, with skin gaunt to the bone; delicate, yet precise fingers caressing and blending the pallid cream into flawlessly smooth, milky skin. I noticed the back of his hand hovering close to his face, was an off shade of pale green. A pang of guilt struck my chest as I remembered why the slowly fading bruises were there.

He opened both eyes and stood back to further inspect his work, shifting and angling his face in different positions where the light would hit just right, to the point where he was satisfied enough to move on to the next eye, in an almost feminine manner. He was standing under the brightest, fluorescent spot in the room, making his keen, mahogany eyes dazzle their flecks of scarlet in the most alluring way. My eyes fixated on the detail of his stunning irises, almost unimaginably genetic, if I hadn't known him for so long.

His eyes slowly wandered to where they met mine in our reflections. I felt a tingle run down my vertebra, for I had never met anyone else with such a cunning gaze. A crooked smirk made it’s way across the thin line of his lips.

“Now no one will confuse me for the walking dead, ne?”

Our eyes were still locked in the mirror as I spoke, “what about your hands?”

His gaze dropped down in contemplation, scrutinizing the small imperfection and shrugged.

“I fell on the floor...Well,  _ to _ the floor, that is. It isn’t a complete lie, right?”

“...’spose you could say that,” I said not sounding convinced.

“You’re such a worry wart,” he scolded. “It’s an entirely believable excuse.” He turned his back to the mirror, leaning against the counter with crossed arms and continued. “This is the difference between you and me;  _ You  _ let your emotions cloud your thoughts preventing you from finding simple solutions. It’s always ‘me, me, me’ with you. ‘What am  _ I _ going to do?’, ‘What are others going to think of  _ me _ ?’, ‘Why does this always happen to  _ me _ ?’. It’s quite selfish, really.” He adjusted himself against the granite, crossing one leg over the other and gesturing to himself in the most confident of ways. “Where as  _ I _ look at the bigger picture. When you can see all aspects of the situation, your answer tends to be right in front of you. These are all skills I have honed and mastered after years of observing humanity. I figure, instead of making the mistake myself, why not let others make it for me? You could say I’m a  _ visual learner _ ...Ah, I really should start charging people for my advice, shouldn’t I?”

“You’re just weird, and that’s that,” I scoffed.

“It’s nice to know my wisdom is appreciated, Shizu-chan.”

There was a knock on the door, conveniently ending a very much one-sided conversation.

“Coming~!” Izaya sang, sending me a wink and wide grin as he strode out of the room.

From in the bathroom, I could hear the chime in the flea’s voice as he address who I expected to be our visitor.

“Ah, Shinra, how nice to see you, come in.”

I stepped out of the smaller room to face our friend and he was as happy-go-lucky as ever.

“Shizuo! You’re not hungover are you? To be honest, I figured Izaya would be in much worse shape, but maybe he just has better genetic enzymes for breaking down alcohol than most people,” he said, laughing lightly, pushing up his glasses. “And of course we all know that you’re, well,  _ you _ .”

“Don’t give him more reasons to be a cocky bastard, Shinra. Everything you say will just go to his head.”

“Wow,” Shinra awed, immediately changing the subject and looking around the room, “I didn’t imagine it would be so tidy in here. I’m kind of surprised that nothing’s you know, broken...unless you’re just hiding things. If I remember correctly, the last time I was in here it was dark, so I couldn’t see-whoops!”

Izaya was sending him a bone chilling glare, despite the mischievous smile he constantly wore.

“Shinra, it really isn’t nice to intrude on people’s naps. I need my beauty sleep, after all.”

They exchanged glances in silence, seeming to have a telepathic conversation only  _ they _ could comprehend. Feeling very left out, I asked:

“Am I...missing something here?” I questioned, utterly confused.

“Four eyes here, simply woke me up when you were out of the room a few days ago. Didn’t you?” he looked at our bespectacled friend expectantly.

“Yep, and he’s not a very pleasant person to be around when you wake him up,” he chuckled awkwardly.

“Don’t I know it…” I muttered and brushed their side conversation off to walk over to the mini-fridge to grab some water.

In the corner of my eye I noticed Izaya’s smile had drawn into a small frown.

“Anyway, Shizuo, get changed, we’re trying something new today upon Erika’s request.”

“Oh? And what camp activities does our counselor have in mind now?” the louse inquired, sounding almost rhetorical.

“There’s another chain of restaurants down at the east wing of the resort by the gym. Since it’s almost noon anyway, I figured we could skip breakfast and get lunch.”

“Sounds okay to me,” I said with a shrug, taking a drink and the raven nodded.

“After that, we were going to go to the pool next to the gym.”

I felt my body tense and in my peripheral Izaya was watching me with an unreadable expression. Before I could even think clearly, Izaya’s quick mind had already thought of a response.

“This  _ is _ a winter resort, is it not? There are plenty of things to do here that we don’t have access to back in Tokyo. Even Rajin has a pool.”

“Yeah, but that’s only open for the swim team in the spring. It’s still January, so it won’t be open for our gym classes until after they’ve received their practice schedules,” he responded totally unaware of our current predicament.

Izaya sighed dramatically massaging his temple. “We don’t even have swim trunks, so-”

“There’s a gift shop downstairs that sells them. I guess they kind of expect for people not to bring their own. Hmm, quite the moneymaker, I presume, with all the ‘extra activities’. No wonder this place is so fancy.”

“Shinra, do we really have to go swimming?” I cut in. “I mean...I’m not gonna admit I agree with the louse, but…”

“...Did you two have something else in mind…?” he said in a curious voice with a smirk.

“ _ No!” _ both of us interjected at the same time.

Shinra blinked in surprise and Izaya spoke first.

“You know what, the pool sounds just fine.”

“Flea-!”

“Shizuo, make yourself look somewhat presentable,” he addressed me. “We’ll meet up with you 15 minutes.”

“Sounds great!” Shinra clapped, pleased at our response. “I’ll drag Kadota out of bed. I gave him some painkillers when he woke up for his headache so he’s kind of lethargic right now, but he should be fine!”

“Perfect, let’s put our incapable friend in an enclosed body of water. Now out you go,” the raven said, shooing Shinra out of the room and closing it softly before the brunette could continue.

He stood there with his back facing me as he spoke, “I’m going to return Erika’s makeup. Just get ready and act casually around the others.”

When he turned around, he walked up to me to look me in the eye.

“I’ll think of something...Just act how you normally would, as if nothing’s happened,” he said in what was supposed to be an even voice, but I could tell there was somewhat dejection in his tone.

He quickly turned to the restroom and I heard him rummaging through the cosmetics. I stood there deep in thought, as I wondered what had caused his sudden change of spirit.

He stepped out of the room, bag at hand as he was about to reach for the door handle.

“Hey,” I caught him gently by the arm and he stopped to look back over his shoulder at me. “Thanks for...a lot of stuff.” I subconsciously brushed my thumb in a caressing manner over his bicep in my grip. “I mean it.”

Dark lashes swept his gaze away concealing whatever emotion swarmed in those crimson eyes. He smiled, however, answering me with a soft voice. “Anything for Shizu-chan.”

He pulled away from my grasp and I watched him disappear down the hall, the door creeping to a close. I lowered my hand slowly, standing unblinking at the thought of what I must have imagined the flea being flustered.

 

ヽ(´o｀；

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked their old couple bickering, haha. Also, the whole time Shizuo watches Izaya put make up on, ughh my HEART. I feel you Shizu-chan. I feel you well. He strikes me as one of those guys that has a habit of staring at people (and what's not to stare at? ;)) The next few chapters are really fluffy and lighthearted, but don't get too cozy, we need another climax, after all~  
> As always, thank you for the kudos and comments!  
> Until next time~


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter!  
> This one I got a lot of positive feedback from from my friends who revise my work before I publish them~ Now that Erika has planted the seed in Izaya's mind, what questions does he start asking himself? This is my Izaya x insecurities chapter <3 I hope you enjoy!
> 
> ((ft. Izaya being a usual asshole))

_ Izaya _

 

_ Stupid Shizu-chan, don’t say things like that. _

I hurried down the hall not looking back, focusing on anything but the soft expression the blonde wore as he rehearsed words of gratitude that weren’t conveyed often enough.

_ What right did a monster have to act so human? _

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the thought of Shizuo’s gentle smile and touch as I fled down the hallway. I clutched the bag I held tighter, as I shook my head to clear my mind. To no avail, the brute's soothing voice still picked at my brain as I arrived at the door to Erika’s room.

I remembered briefly that I had seen the text of her room number when I was scrolling past the plethora of messages she had sent me the night before. Exhaling slowly, I straightened up before knocking melodically on the door.

“Just a second,” I heard a shrill voice muffled past the wood that separated us.

The door unlocked and Erika appeared with a small rubber band in her mouth as she was finishing the braid she usually wore when her hair was in bun.

“Oh, Iza-Iza, it’s you!” she said between occupied lips, as she patted around her head to make sure all of her hair was in it’s rightful place.

“The one and only~,” I responded with a smirk, holding out her bag.

“How did the makeup go? It looks like you did a good job!” she exclaimed, clearly now, as she tied her hair up.

“I do have many hidden talents, Erika,” I said, presenting what others might think of as a genuine smile. “Thank you for your assistance,” I cooed, turning on my heel to leave.

“Where ya goin? Come in, come in, I was hoping I could talk to you alone! This saves me the trouble,” she giggled cheerfully, taking my arm in both hands, dragging me into the door frame.

“Ah, I would really rather not intrude. What would your roommate think, having a boy in the room without her consent?” I tried persuading her, attempting to resist the persistent girl’s force, but with no luck. The door shut behind us as she ignored my protest.

“No worries, she just left to go study in the cafe. I don’t think she’d mind.”

“Study?” I asked skeptically raising a brow. “Who studies on vacation?”

“She’s kind of like a hardcore bookworm you see in anime, always having something to read...Never manga though, so we don’t have much in common. She’s pretty interesting when she does talk to me. Weird, but I like her.”

I tried piecing together which of our classmates Erika could possibly be rooming with, since most of our peers were delinquents. There were only a few girls I could recall always having their noses in books, spending their school days in the library, but I doubted someone like Erika would be rooming with the female class representative. Before I could press the matter further, I dismissed the thought, seeing as getting out of my current situation came first and foremost.

“Still, coming into a lady’s room? What if I were to see something I shouldn’t?”

“Haha, you have sisters don’t you?” she responded nonchalantly. “I’m sure you’ve seen their laundry before. Panties lying around aren't gonna kill you...Unless you’re secretly some pervert?” she snickered to herself, pushing me down to sit on one of the neatly made beds. “Besides," she shrugged with a hand on her hip. "I don’t think women’s underwear does anything for you anyway." Her smile was still shining as brightly as before when she continued;  “so how about it, Iza-Iza? What  _ really _ happened when you left Shinra’s and Dotachin’s place?” she purred.

“I figured that’s what this was about…” I huffed a sigh dramatically, looking away into nothingness. “Sorry to disappoint, but I really don’t remember much of anything, aside from passing out as soon as I got in my room.” I massaged my temple, as if to assure her that the migraine from my hangover was clouding my memories.

“I see...So was it your kiss with Shizuo triggered you to faint?” she asked, raising an eyebrow, grinning curiously.

_ Ah, that… _

All this time I had forgotten about that little stunt.

“As I’m sure you’re already aware, I was  _ highly _ intoxicated last night-”

“But you remember it right? How was it? Is he a good kisser?”

“Why don’t you ask Shizu-chan yourself?” I sneered, since there was no point in denying the event had occurred with an audience present. “Wouldn’t _I_ love to see that fool speechless at such a blunt inquisition.”

“That’s  _ exactly _ why I  _ can’t _ ask him!” she exclaimed matter-of-factually, moving her hands as she spoke. “I figured you would be more open, since ya know you’re, well…” she trailed off.

“‘Well’ what?” I asked flatly, letting my facade down.

“Well, you know...you’ve never shown any interest in girls, so we all assumed…” her gaze drifted to the side as she mumbled.

I blinked unexpectedly at her point, feeling warmth spread to my cheeks. But really, did _ everyone _ assume I was gay from the start?

I leaned back on one hand, tilting my head to the side, beaming my cheshire grin.

“Ah, but there’s a fault in your theory, ne? I simply don’t have an interest in any  _ one _ persons, so jumping to the conclusion that I’m gay-”

“But you  _ are _ interested in someone. Everyone knows it!” she cut me off almost exasperatedly. “Frankly, I don’t think it’s unrequited either,” she stated, crossing her arms.

I rolled my eyes once more, tiredly rebutting the same defense over again.

“Oh please, as if Shizu-chan were to actually return-” I bit back the reply, hoping my slip up would go unnoticed. Of course, it didn’t.

“Ooooh? What was that?” she grinned cheekily back at me. “Was that an  _ almost _ a love confession?!”

I cleared my throat, this time approaching with more sternness.

“As if the brute were capable of having romantic feelings.” I stood up smiling with no readable emotion. “The day that that monster knows what ‘love’ is, will be the day that Hell freezes over.” I clapped my hands together, affirming my final statement of the matter.

Erika seemed to get the message that the conversation was now over, but despite my cold, evasive tactics, she smiled sweetly at me.

“You’d be surprised what he’s capable of.”

When I exited the room, I shut the door softly, pausing for a moment after the 'click' and sighed deeply. I was in no specific hurry to get back to my room where  _ he _ was awaiting my return, but I couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang in my chest from the malice of my words.

_ So maybe I had been a little too harsh...Still, like the protozoan said himself, it  _ is _ no one else's business. _

The visual of tender, honeyed eyes staring back at my carmine ones was still fresh in my mind from the night before. Remembering the blonde as he embraced me had left me in a perplexed state. I could still feel the heat of his body as he slept, arms wrapped securely around me, just a handful of hours ago.

The thoughts pressing my mind caused me to subconsciously wrap my arms around myself, as if to recreate the warmth I secretly longed for. I could feel the colour dusting my cheeks as I walked through the empty hallway with my head down, staring at nothing in particular.

I hadn't, for as long as I could remember, felt at such a stalemate with my emotions. I wasn't going to deny that I didn't have them. That would only mean I'd be an entirely new breed of monster opposite to Shizu-chan, and there certainly was going to be none of that. But the confusion that lingered in the back of my mind had me doubting the reality of the situation. I could no longer deny that Erika might have just hit the nail on the head.

Our door had been left open a crack, I noticed, before letting myself in unannounced. I avoided making eye contact with the brute as he sat propped up on his bed. He watched me as I sat myself down onto what had originally been my own bed, having remained vacant for several nights now.

"What kept you?" Surprisingly, there was no longer a hint of accusation in his tone.

"Let's just say our number one fan was interested in our 'explicit activities'," I said without my usual demeanor.

In my peripheral vision, he tensed, head whipping in my direction as I continued;

"I told her I passed out...I wouldn't be surprised if she approaches you about what happened, though," I sighed laying my head back on my arms.

His shoulders relaxed some of their tension as he let his head fall back against the wooden headboard.

"She also asked if Shizu-chan were a good kisser~," I teased.

"...oh," was all he could say. There was a long silence between us for a while before he spoke again. "Is that all...?"

"Well..."

He craned his neck my way again with an almost worried expression on his face.

"How long..." I began slowly, trying to word my question so that I still had the upper hand. "Not that it even matters to me what people think, but how long has everyone been assuming that I'm...gay?" I finished without trying to sound too defensive.

His eyes widened and he blinked before averting his gaze, looking a bit embarrassed and crestfallen on my behalf.

"Uh...I don't...know..." he lied, blatantly.

I rolled my eyes pretending not to care about the matter any longer when he continued brokenly again;

"It's just that...you're always saying you love humans equally, but...I guess at this age it's weird to have not actually dated anyone. Or even attempted to..."

"Well, look who's talking," I scoffed, crossing my arms.

He didn't even look hurt himself. He more or less looked at me in pity. As if  _ I _ was the victim.

_ Well whatever. They can gossip all they want. _

"I'll have you know that I talk to plenty of women. Far more than you have. Or Shinra, for that matter."

"Screwing with their lives doesn't count, flea," he sighed. "You don't have to be embarrassed about it, you know."

I got up from my bed, annoyed with the allegation, closing the gap to stare at him above from a standing point of view.

"For all you know I could have plenty of ex's outside of our fishbowl called Rajin. It's not that hard to sweet talk your way into a relationship with someone who's desperate enough. Especially with the looks I have. If I  _ really _ felt like it, I could sleep with just about anyone-!"

Before I could stop myself, before I could stop and think about what I was about to say, and before I could practice what I had been preaching to the brute just minutes ago; I could only see the flash of pain before the fury in Shizuo's eyes. I was pinned down where he had just been lying  _ so fast _ , that the wind was knocked out of me.

Looking up, without saying a word, the blonde's eyebrows were knit into an indecipherable expression I hadn't seen him wear before. I didn't even think that was possible, considering how Shizuo wore his heart on his sleeve at all times.

Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was pity. Maybe he was just so angry he didn't know what face to make because he hadn't experienced this kind of enmity before.

_ Yeah, that was probably it. _

I closed my eyes waiting for what I knew was coming, hoping for a broken nose over a broken jaw.

To my dismay, it was neither.

I flinched when soft lips brushed against mine.

My heart skipped a beat as the warm flesh of the other's lips were crushed against my own. My  hand, seizing onto the blonde's shirt in surprise of the attack. I could feel my throat swell and eyes squeeze shut mid-panic, as he cupped my cheek in one hand, mouth lingering centimeters away as he spoke.

"Don't say stupid shit like that, flea," he whispered in a soft, husky voice that I felt resonate against the hold he had on my torso.

He pecked me one more time before he moved to sit at the foot of the bed as I laid frozen in place.

_ How dare he...How dare he speak so calmly. _

The honesty and serenity of his voice made my stomach knot and my chest tighten. It was sickening how he could act so human at such inappropriate times.

"Ne, Shizu-chan." I said almost inaudibly, emotionlessly.

"Hm?"

"You're not supposed to like people."

He turned to look at me as I stared blankly at the ceiling fan gyrating noisily above the otherwise silent room.

"You're supposed to hate and hurt and destroy, like the monster you are. I'm the one who loves humanity," I rambled mostly to myself, but he continued to listen quietly. "I'm one who knows how to control my emotions...Yet, you still show signs of affection better than I can," I confessed, chuckling inwardly, feeling more and more depleted. "For some reason people like you...I can't understand why, but I was always jealous."

_ Stop. _

I knew subconsciously, that needed to stop now before I dug myself a hole I wouldn't be able to get out of. I knew if I continued to allow myself such open vulnerability, I would lose everything I had worked so hard for up until this point, but I kept going.

"Ever since I met you...The attention you got everywhere you would go, whether or not you wanted it...May it be people seeking a fight for vengeance; friends wanting to hang out with you; your mother picking you up from school; girls talking nervously to each other about their crushes on you...I hated you for it. I hated you so much."

His caramel eyes never lost their focus as he clung to each sour insult that left my lips.

"But now I can't even find strength to fight you off when you kiss me...I-"

I swallowed, feeling my voice shake as I pressed on, "I think I might actually-"

There was a loud knock at the door that jolted a shock through the both of us. Shizuo got to his feet immediately, and I sat up too fast, causing my head to spin.

"Oi, Shinra said you'd be ready ten minutes ago.”

Kadota's low voice sounded even more sluggish today. There was lots chatter outside of the door, and I could pick out the baritone of Dotachin's voice arguing with Erika's verbose one.

I sighed deeply, grateful that I must have some good karma on my side for cutting our conversation off right then and there.

"Just a second," Shizuo replied, attention obviously fixated and irritated now.

When he turned back to me I had taken the opportunity to get up and pocket my phone and wallet. I could see in the corner of my eye that he was watching me, his face still holding onto mixed emotions and questions he desperately wanted answers to.

_ Sorry, Shizu-chan, but I regret saying anything. _

Still avoiding eye contact, I brushed past him on my way to the door, only stopping when I felt the tips of his fingers meet mine.

"Like nothing happened," I reminded him softly before walking out the door to the crowd that awaited us.

The door hadn't even clicked shut behind me when I felt Shinra slap a hand on my shoulder and whisper in my ear:

"So how are you  _ really _ feeling this morning?” he whispered slyly in my ear. “Headache? Stomachache? Are you perhaps sore anywhere else?" he teased, lightly.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," I feigned sarcastically, squaring my shoulders and smirking condescendingly. "I think you're losing your touch, Kishitani-sensei, if you can't tell the difference when one of your regular patients is just fine."

"Hm, I suppose there's no discolouration to your face...You seem to be walking fine..." he observed with a hand on his chin, eyeing me up and down.

Shizuo stepped out of the door behind us, the furrow in his brow was back where it normally sat, but he looked slightly less broody than he usually did. I was sure however, only I could tell.

"Shizuo, good to see you in one piece as well," Shinra chirped above my ear.

The blonde simply clicked his tongue, obviously not in the mood to deal with the brunette's ridicule either.

Our gang walked down the hall to the elevator and then to the lobby floor. It seemed like forever ago, the whole fountain mishap that had occurred causing the ill-fitting rooming situation with the protozoan, I thought to myself as we walked through the spacious foyer. It was still as remarkable as I had thought when I first set foot inside.

Glancing around, I pondered what kind of atmosphere I could see myself in in the future as I evaluated the decor. What were the things that would forever stay timeless and classy? Modern, yet serene. I contemplated if the hotel staff ever got tired of being here. How could they, with so many people coming from all over Japan to vacation here?

I came to the realization that I had been so distracted with the rest of my posse's company, that I hadn't had many chances to people watch lately. The people among myself were conversing about something trivial as we crossed the entrance hall into a smaller, familiar one. We passed small souvenir shops, faculty doors, the laundromat, and so on. Eventually we passed the door to the arcade, at which I felt a wave of nostalgia.

_ Had it really only been yesterday? _

The feeling of someone's eyes lingering on me had me creeping a glance over my shoulder.

_ Of course _ he was eyeing me in his peripheral, scrutinizing my body language,  _ obviously  _ connecting the two dots. It was almost cute, how he expected a reaction out of me.

Eyes locking, I sent him a chilling smirk, if for nothing else but the for sake of anyone who was watching us to observe the telepathic warning I sent the brute. His response was a deeper frown and focusing his gaze straight ahead.

Finally we reached the gift shop-which to me, looked more or less like one big, tacky, tourist repository. Everywhere you looked were shirts, keychains, shot glasses, sweatshirts; all gaudy looking items with the resort name and location on them.

I walked through the isles of miscellaneous houseware when someone tapped my shoulder.

"Which do you think Celty would like better?" Shinra said holding up two coffee mugs.

I rolled my eyes. "You realize that your roommate has no head, correct?"

There were few people who knew that much about the guest at the Kishitani residence, and I took pride that I had figured it out by myself.

"Shhh!" he shushed me. "I need to bring something back for her, and you know how she loves to be in the kitchen...Oh! Maybe they have an apron here! Just thinking about coming home to my Celty in nothing but a frilly apron-"

"Whaaaaa?! It can’t be?!”

The two of us whipped our heads around at the loud gasp. The sudden outburst came from Yumasaki Walker, hands and face pressed against the glass separating a decorative bulletin board, mouth agape.

“Yumacchi, what is it?!” Erika called running up to her partner in crime.

“How did they manage to get Junichi Nakamura-sensei’s work  _ here _ ?! Their budget must have no limit if they can show one of his sculptures…”

You could almost see the hearts in his eyes as he read the newsletter in awe.

“Uh, who is Junichi Nakamura?” Shinra whispered to me and I shrugged, interested in the scene falling before us.

Erika must have overheard the question and answered for Yumasaki.

“He’s one of the top ice sculpturists in Japan! Yumacchi’s three-dimensional idol!”

The blonde snapped out of his dazed state to further educate us.

“He’s famous for his Blue Ring Octopus sculpture! He’s won multiple ice sculpting titles from around the world!” he stated. “How could you all be so ill-informed!”

The brunette standing next to me and I exchanged glances.

“He’s everything Yumacchi inspires to be,” Erika continued matter-of-factly.

“And his work is going to be  _ here _ , next weekend for the 25th anniversary of the resort!” he said, nearly panting. “My dream for the 3D world is finally coming true!” he cried.

“Oh yeah,” the girl said tapping her chin. “I think I heard about that. There’s supposed to be some sort of big party or something. I even heard they were going to have a ball!”

“What perfect timing then.” Kadota’s deep voice sounded behind us.

I turned around and the taller male was standing there with some board shorts on a hanger.

“Enough fangirling, we still have to get lunch, remember?”

“Yeah, yeah, boss,” the brunette girl waved, grabbing her friend by the arm, pulling him away from the glass and towards where the clothing racks were.

I too dispersed and found my way over to where the male swimwear was hanging, not at all enthusiastic about the ordeal. I began plucking my way through the different colours and designs of fabrics when a too-close voice got my attention.

“Oi,” the gravely voice addressed me. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder to know who it was.

“Hmm?”

“Do you...Do you think she planned this on purpose?” he said in a low whisper, and I knew what he was referring to.

I smirked, knowing the brute could sense it. “Look at you, finally catching onto things,” I sneered.

“Che.”

“Behind those sparkling eyes and bright smile, Erika has a very dark sense of humor, ne?”

“You mean...she-”

“Did you really think she was going to believe me when I lied to her?”

“You always lie and people believe you, why is this any different?” he said flatly.

I laughed at that. “Her mind is set on those creepy fantasies, not even  _ I _ can deter her from those erotic daydreams.”

He was silent for a while, still following closely behind me as a searched through the rack pulling items out to inspect them.

“Gross.”

I chuckled at his simple mindedness.

“Let’s just hope that makeup is waterproof, ne?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah, yes, an almost love confession <3 I hope you are all entertained by the constant inner war Izaya is having with himself throughout the story...Shizuo too, for that matter. The next chapter has even more fluff and petty bickering before things start to really pick up. I hope you all enjoyed reading!
> 
> Thanks again for all of your support, comments and kudos! Until next time ~


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Long time no see!  
> Sorry for the delay between updates, I got really sick two weekends ago and was in bed for days X.X Then this past weekend I went out of town and didn't have wifi at the hotel, rip. So this is the first chance I have had to post! Again, I apologize for being so late! I hope this chapter is rewarding enough, haha. Lots of bits of fanservice??  
> Enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

 

After settling on some blue shorts with a pattern Izaya had teased to be ‘floral’ only  _ after _ I bought them, we had all checked out and were heading to the restaurant area.

_ “Aw, don’t take it too hard, Shizu-chan, flowers on men's clothing is popular nowadays. It's fitting, since you're even more like a tourist now, huh?”  _  he had said.

My brow twitched as I remembered his fake, sickeningly sweet tone.

_ Whatever. _ I knew that blue was one of the colours that looked better on me, so i tried disregarding the comment.

A waft of scent from the fresh market made it’s way down the hall and I could tell we were getting close to our destination. We were approaching the chain of restaurants Shinra and I had eaten at our first day here. I didn’t get to look around as much as I had liked to, but I knew there was a steak house and a sushi bar that the flea and I had been getting take-out from nearly every night.

Further down the hall, led to what resembled a cafeteria-like area with a wall made entirely out of glass, with a gorgeous view into the mountains. We chose to eat where tables and benches were set up by a buffet. Supposedly you could make your own bento box.

Everything looked so tasty. I couldn’t count how many hours ago I had eaten, but it had been before I had consumed all that alcohol. My stomach growled noisily as I lifted each of the steel covers of the various steaming foods, each aroma making my mouth water more than the last.

I started by collecting some rice and udon noodles, an egg, then progressively increasing the amount of proteins to my dish. It all looked so delicious, I wanted to try everything. The salmon, the tuna, the beef, the sausages, even meats I didn’t recognize, it all smelled heavenly.

“My, my, Shizu-chan, do you skip out on your veggies at home as well?”

The flea’s condescending tone tore me from my focus on what I was guessing was teriyaki chicken. I closed the lid to look down at him.

“What’s it to you?”

He chuckled. “Obviously I don’t care whether or not you’re getting all of your vitamins, but I’m sure Mama Heiwajima would want her growing boy to get all of his nutrients~,” he said batting his eyelashes.

“Vegetables are gross,” I replied in disgust, as if just saying the word made me nauseous. I went back to lifting up the lid and putting more chicken on my plate. 

“Let me guess, Kasuka eats them for you on your behalf?” he sneered, putting a hand on his hip. "What type of example are you setting as an older brother?"

I felt the blood pool in my cheeks as I glared back at the raven who was smirking, knowingly.

“Do you really need to eat that much before we go swimming? I hope you don’t get sick or something~,” he snickered.

Now he was just patronizing me.

“The only thing I’m sick of here is you, louse.”

“Shizu-chan, I’m wounded. And here I was just trying to look out for you, trying to protect you from raising your cholesterol levels skyrocketing high. Don’t you know the risks of consuming that much meat? If this is how you eat at home, you’re really taking your chances-”

“Why do you care so much that I like my meat?!”

Scarlet eyes widened as he took a step back from me in an atmosphere that was a little  _ too _ quiet. It was only a matter of a fraction of a second before I realized what exactly I had just shouted for everyone in the entire dining area to hear.

And then there was laughing. Lots of it. Mostly from Izaya.

I growled, glowering down at him, ready to snap his neck if it weren’t for the burning sensation I felt across my entire face.

Slouching angrily, I turned on my heel to sit alone at the farthest possible table away from everyone else.

I sat down, staring at the food I had lost a sudden interest in eating. Everything had looked a lot more appetizing five minutes ago. I sighed defeatedly.

I looked out the window I was next to, my sad, unwelcome reflection for company.

_ Why did he always have to be such a damn fucking louse?! What was his problem?! One minute he’s confessing shit to me, next he’s harassing me and- _

I let loose another deep, irritable sigh. I had to turn away from my scowling reflection before I accidently put my fist through the glass, when something caught the corner of my eye from across the room.

The recognizably foreign girl was ordering sushi at the bar several meters away. She was pointing to something in the glass and talking quietly to one of the chef’s. I couldn’t hear her from where I was sitting, but I could see her contemplative expression changing from it’s usual stoic one. When the chef went back into the kitchen, she stood waiting for his return, but turned her direction towards me, locking my gaze.

Immediately I looked down, heart palpitating from being discovered.

_ She’s all the way across the room though?! How could she have seen me staring?!...Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! I shouldn’t be staring in the first place!...Fuck, what if she had heard me say those embarrassing- _

The sound of a chair scraping the floor in front of me made me jolt, not ready to confront the blonde. I took a deep breath, “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have-!?”

My sentence broke and I couldn’t even finish my train of thought when the raven sat down in front of me, snapping his chopsticks apart and looking at me in genuine shock. Immediately my brows furrowed, but before I could say anything, he spoke first.

“It’s fine, I’m used to you shouting unnecessarily,” he shrugged simply. “Thank you for the meal.”

I was boiling mad, that  _ no, I  _ wasn’t _ in fact apologizing to you and for you to have the audacity to sit next to me after that stunt?! ‘The  _ FUCK _ do you think you are, flea?! _

I broke my chopsticks apart, stabbing my food and grumbling, “thank you for the meal...”. Not  bothering to argue with the louse on account of learning from my past mistakes.

Vorona had already disappeared when I looked up to glare at him as we ate in silence. It lasted for all of thirty seconds before he had to break it with another stupid comment.

“You know, I really  _ do _ think you should eat more vegetables,” he said, pointing his eating utensils towards me. “These are delicious, by the way...Here, just try it.”

He delicately placed a steamed green bean between the mountain of rice next to the mountain of meat on my tray.

I cringed, looking at it’s limp, shriveled body in disgust, poking it with the end of the wooden stick.

I noticed that all of Izaya’s meal was divided into neat proportions. Rice, vegetables, and fish.

_ How bland _ , I thought, looking up as he took a bite of tuna. It’s no wonder he stays so scrawny.

“And what about you? Why are you worried about me, when you barely eat anything?”

“This,” he said fanning a hand to his plate, “has all the vitamins and nutrients I need to maintain the body I have...You on the other hand, should lighten up on whatever you have going on there. That body isn’t going to look 18 forever, you know.”

My frown deepened as he eyed me over as if to prove a point.

“However, since we are combining breakfast and lunch together, I can cheat on my diet a little bit.”

He proceeded to reach over the table to grab one of the small sausages that was neatly cut to look like an octopus, popping it into his mouth and smirking back at me.

“I  _ thought _ we were supposed to act normal!” I hissed in a whisper, “you aren’t doing a very good job by giving me your food and then taking mine.”

“What are you talking about? I think it would be more  _ abnormal _ if I were feeding it directly to you, don’t you think?” he said coolly.

“That’s not what I mean, flea!” I snapped, clenching my fist. “Why are you even sitting here?”

“Look at you two getting along!” Shinra’s annoying voice chirped as he sat his tray down on the table next to us, pulling it to connect them together.

“What are you-?!”

“Shinra and company, how nice of you to join us,” the flea cooed.

Soon everyone else showed up, claiming a chair as they combined enough tables together to fit us all.

“For the love of-”

The raven hummed a chuckle across from me, picking at his food.

I sighed heavily. It was only noon and I already had a headache. I didn't sign up for this.

The chatter among the table today was particularly louder than usual. Yumasaki and Kadota had gotten into an argument, from what I caught, was about a character from a popular manga series. Kadota was a hard to crack character, and little was known about his interests, so it was strange to believe he could get into such a heated and passionate conversation about manga.

Erika was talking excitedly with Togusa, who was well, a lot less enthusiastic than the female. Shinra was texting rapidly in his phone, occasionally showing Izaya something on the small device.

Izaya would fake a whimsical laugh here and there, but I could tell he was bored. At least he was leaving me alone for the time being.

I continued to eat in silence and no one made any comment, obviously caught up in their own debates, for which that I was thankful for and could finally relax a bit.

Slowly, I was beginning to feel my temper fade, now having a full belly and my plate clean...Except for the sad green bean I had moved to its own corner in concern of it tainting the rest of my meal.

I felt something gently brush against my shin. I let it slide, thinking it was an accident, but it came back, slowly caressing the side of my calf. I could feel the heat radiating from the warm touch that continued to rub up against my leg.

I looked across the table to Izaya who was looking over Shinra's shoulder where he was pointing to something on the screen of his phone. My brows automatically furrowed as I continued to watch the flea speak casually, masking any signs of the affection his foot was giving my leg. At first I didn't think it was him because his expression remained the same all through the level voice he was speaking to Shinra with. But then I remembered that this was Izaya we were talking about, around the same time he spared a quick glance over to me, flashing white teeth as the brunette carried on the conversation.

At which that time, I felt the bumps of his toes in his socks that must have slipped out of the confines of a shoe, trail along the side of my inner thigh. I stood up abruptly, causing everyone's attention to direct towards me again.

"I-" I began, thinking quickly of an excuse, any excuse, as I felt a bead of sweat roll down the back of my neck. "Cigarette," I stated firmly, not bothering to excuse myself as I walked past the table to the automatic side door that let out to the paved sidewalk lining the building.

I didn't care how cold it would be as I stepped out into the arctic. If anything, I needed something to cool me down.

I stuck the small barrel of the cigarette between my lips, shielding the end to light it. I took a long drag, feeling the familiar warmth circulate through my lungs, helping to bite the freezing weather.

The sun was mostly hidden by clouds, so it was for the best that we would be inside today, I thought. I stayed out as long as it took for the cigarette to burn down feeling more satisfied, now only chilly.

Everyone was cleaning up their trays when I emerged through the doors again. People were lining up at the register to pay for their meal as I was setting the bento box back on a tray of items to be washed.

After everyone had paid, we left to head back down the hall from which we came. We passed the locker room that led to the hot spring, causing my brow to twitch in annoyance. There were a couple turns before we made it to the gym, which we had to go through to get to the bathrooms that led out to the indoor pool. Erika said she would meet us on the other side as the rest of us guys entered the men's room.

Immediately, I walked over to the changing rooms by the showers, which I came to find were only divided with heavy curtains for doors. I picked one, sliding the fabric closed and saw that there was a single bench bolted into the glossy tile wall that ran through what looked like all of the changing stalls. The glassy barricade was a somewhat opaque shade of bluish-green. It didn’t feel all that private anymore when I also noticed that the room was divided by panels made of semi-transparent cloth, as well. The kind where you could see the dark silhouettes of the people in the room next to you. Not to mention, the curtain was cut about six inches from the ground, where neighboring feet could easily be seen.

_ They really expect everyone to be that friendly here? _

I started to take my shirt off, glad that no one was on either side of me. I was going to get through this as quickly as possible.

The zipping sound of the stall next to mine, as well as the shadow of a smaller human figure entering, made the hairs on my neck instantly raise.  _ Especially _ when I started to hear the familiar off-key hum of an unfamiliar tune.

"Ne, Shizu-chan?" his nonchalant voice addressed me.

I pretended not to hear him as I fidgeted with the button of my jeans.

"You're especially grumpy today, aren't you? Why is that? I thought we left off on a good note?"

I continued to ignore him, watching as his feet bounced when he talked. He shown no signs of concern about the abnormal changing circumstances.

I could see his silhouette pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it on the bench. I tore my gaze away in case he would be looking back at me.

"Aw, is Shizu-chan ignoring me now?" he whined annoyingly after a moment.

"Give it a rest, flea," I said, giving in and stepping out of my jeans.

"You're really acting like a brute today...It's not cute.” He stated his matter of opinion factually. 

Despite my brow twitching, I felt my ears redden. Was it just me who was super on edge from last night? Was I so paranoid about acting like nothing happened around people that I've forgotten how Izaya really is?

"People will start to think we got in a fight," he teased.

"We're always fighting, louse. Remember?"

"That's not what you said last night~."

His voice was alarmingly close, and when I looked at the curtain next to me there was no one in the room. Immediately I began to panic and turned around.

Sitting behind me, cross-legged on the bench, the louse had crept into my stall silently enough for me to not even notice his presence.

I really  _ was _ loosing my touch if he could sneak by me that easily.

"Flea!" I bit back in a hiss.

I was standing there completely naked, shielding myself with the pair of blue shorts I had bought.

"What are you doing here?!" I said in a growling whisper between clenched teeth.

He shrugged, getting off the bench and padding over to me. My face got increasingly more flustered with each step, until he was close enough for his bare chest to gently brush against mine.

Our eyes never broke contact even when he brought a hand up to his lips to drag his tongue along his thumb. He reached up, and I almost flinched away as he wiped it on my neck and chuckled darkly, smirking that damn smirk he wore when he was up to no good.

"What the-?!"

Then it dawned on me. I reached up to my own neck feeling the wet trail of saliva on the exact spot where makeup was covering a bruise. Rage filled my vision as my free hand grabbed the flea's hand to see if there was any nude pigment smeared against his fingerprint.

There wasn't, but I tightened my grip either way, bringing my face down to his level to glare at him as closely as possible.

"I was just checking." He rolled his eyes, but I could see the discomfort behind his mask.

"Get. Out."

"Fine, fine," he sighed, when I let him go rubbing his wrist.

He went back over to the bench and crawled over the pole holding up the curtain-wall. Popping his head back over the to, he grinned mischievously down at me.

"But be careful, Shizu-chan," he chimed darkly. "Try not to get too wet."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the chapter! I am currently working 2 chapters ahead! So there will definitely be an update this Saturday or Sunday! And after that, ALL NEW CONTENT, WOOHOO! Something to look forward to in November~  
> Anyway, thank you all as usual for everything you guys do to support me <3 Until next time~


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy post-Halloween! I hope everyone who celebrates it had a great night!  
> Here is the latest chapter; the one where we have finally maxed out on all the older content. Everything after this will be entirely new~. That being said, I have more notes that I have set aside for how the story will progress, as well as the CLIMAX we are finally approaching!  
> Now I know what you're probably thinking...'Author-san, wasn't Shizuo's birthday the climax? It was like 5 chapters long? And I mean, that was when they DID THE DO??'  
> To answer your question, no, surprisingly ^^; Even though that was one of the first chapters I wanted to write, I honestly wasn't sure /where/ exactly this fic would go. I just kind of started writing it one night like 3 years ago, haha. But as this story progressed, I thought that there was too much...fluff? Happiness? I mean aside from our main couple's usual banters, there really hasn't been a major PROBLEM. I'm not saying I'm all the sudden going to make this angsty, but it /does/ need a little drama.  
> So that's why I've decided to add some OC's? But don't worry, they are just there to push the story's plot along--and of course for humor!  
> So without further ado, here is chapter 31!

_ Izaya _

 

"Flea!" he snapped, whipping around to face me.

I sat on the bench in the small room leaning back against the wall, wearing my usual cocky grin that always infuriated the brute.

His clothes were piled on the floor. His broad, sun-kissed shoulders were hunched in their habitual manner, and I trailed my eyes down his body to where he only managed to shield himself with the flowery trunks he had bought at the gift shop. I raised an eyebrow in question as to why he was covering up? It wasn't like I hadn't seen him naked before, I thought, and I could feel my smirk grow wider. 

" _ What are you doing here _ ?!" he hissed aggravatedly between clenched teeth.

I simply shrugged, getting up from my perch and walking casually over to him to stand right under his nose, our bare torsos touching. It was almost cute how easily the blonde could get flustered.

Our gazes were locked and he refused to back down, despite the excessive blood circulating in his cheeks. Without looking away, I brought my hand to my mouth, dragging my tongue against the print of my thumb to coat it with saliva. Reaching up to the base of the other man's jaw, I slowly wiped the area where I had applied foundation to his neck earlier this morning. I hummed in satisfaction when I pulled away, and the brute looked confused before realizing my attempt to brush the makeup off.

I brought his hand up to the wet spot where the bruise was hidden, rage flashing in golden orbs. I grasped my wrist with such force, I had to bite my tongue to not let the noise in the back of my throat escape. He turned my hand over to examine my finger to find the makeup didn't actually smear off. I could see the hint relief in his eyes when he lowered his face to level his glare with mine.

"I was just checking~," I said rolling my eyes to mask the discomfort of his grip on my arm.

"Get. Out." He said in a low grumble.

"Fine, fine," I sighed, mostly in relief, when he let me go.

I sauntered back over to the bench and crawled over the pole that was holding up the curtain wall, but turned around to pop my head over to have the last word.

"Be careful, Shizu-chan," I sang darkly, "try not to get too wet~."

Before he could respond, I hopped down into the safety of my own changing room to finish undressing.

Moments later, the sound of the blonde padding angrily out of the stall next door had me smiling inwardly. I really did enjoy seeing the different kinds of reactions I could get out of my favourite little monster. My heart was still palpitating rapidly at the sight of the brute’s exposure. Surely, I thought, that our little escapade last night would be satisfying enough, but I felt a certain eagerness to return back to the hotel room already…

_ Don’t get too ahead of yourself now, _ I sighed momentarily.

Once I had finished changing, I found an empty locker and stuffed my neatly folded clothes inside. I didn’t see any of my other acquaintances loitering around, so evidently left the locker room alone.

The heavy waft of chlorine that flooded through the door as I opened it was enough to wake the dead. I couldn’t remember the last time I had been to a pool. Probably a few years ago when my family had taken a brief vacation while on one of my parents’ business trips; one the twins and I were too young to be left home alone for. 

The pool, as expected, was impressive. Huge even, with a high glass ceiling and crystal-clear walls, just like the skating rink from the other night. However, since it was broad daylight, the atmosphere was more stimulating and energetic, rather than the quiet, romantic vibe I had sensed when we were skating.

I stretched my arms above my head, feeling much better having eaten. My migraine was but a dull throb I had nearly forgotten entirely about. Even the brightest rays of the sun didn’t seem to irritate my vision. It was actually rather refreshing, and I smiled warmly at the extravagant setting. Today was starting to feel like a new day, even with the rockiness of this morning. There were so many new opportunities that laid before me now, I had to pick exactly where I wanted to start. The abundance of lively tourist in the massive room was a friendly reminder that even though the town itself was quaint, the growing population of vacationers was a perfect opportunity to observe. I would  _ finally _ be able to indulge in my favourite hobby.

After a little exploring and walking around, I found an empty reclining chair and pulled the aviators I had purchased at the souvenir shop out of my shorts pocket. Making myself comfortable center stage of the pool, I laid back with my shades on, head resting against my folded arms. The tips of my fingers were twitching with anticipation from the excess of bodies and noise and  _ people _ . The thrill was only just beginning, and I already felt intoxicated by the fervor of commotion around me. It had been so long... _ Too _ long.

There were so many beings in one place, I could feel my excitement growing as I searched through the sea of new as well as familiar faces in the vast crowd. It made up for the homesickness I had started to feel for back in Tokyo. I had longed for an opportunity alone like this without the distraction of my boisterous posse. Some peace, quiet, and humans to observe were all I needed right now.

I settled into my chair, staring into the heart of the people swimming around. There were lanes for racing at the far end, a diving board, and little islands of concrete for tired swimmers to rest on, while still keeping their feet dipped in and waving around in the water. In addition, there was a small water slide, a hot tub and a kiddie pool. Surrounding the body of water were tons of lawn chairs, recliners and benches for the lazier folk and tired parents who trusted the lifeguards enough to babysit their children for them. Along one of the far walls was a snack bar and some vending machines.

I could see that they tried keeping the place looking somewhat tropical, ironically enough, with plant life and floral arrangements to help provide shade from the sunlight. At first I thought they were fake, but realizing that this was a high class establishment, they would definitely pay someone enough to maintain the decorative wildlife in the makeshift greenhouse. I would imagine they were indeed especially hardy plants to be able to survive in an enclosed space reeking of chlorine. Then again, they probably have high dollar filtration system as well. Nonetheless, the glass globe around me was indeed, a world of its own compared to the winter wonderland beyond the transparent walls.

To my right, I admired a tropical tree rooted into a square of dirt that was cut out from the surrounding concrete. A toddler started chewing on a piece of mulch before the parent noticed and snatched it from the child’s hands. Then came the waterworks. I felt a smile make its way across my lips and I turned my attention back towards the water and away from the scolding guardian.

People were swimming laps, which weren’t all that exciting. A few had belly-flopped off the diving board, painfully smacking the water, and an elementary school boy was running and fell and scraped his knee. There was a lifeguard sitting at the more open area in the pool picking his nose, going unnoticed. A few teenagers were playing water volleyball, and everything else was relatively normal. My smile slowly turn to a slight frown. I honestly felt a little dissatisfied with how...average these humans were.

The sound of a group of chatty girls pulling out chairs at the table to the right of me and unpacking their bags, interrupted my train of thought. From a glance to the side from under my sunglasses, I noticed four girls sitting down chirping loudly among themselves.

There was a girl with a bob hair cut and straight across bangs texting and crossing her legs as she sat down in a flashy, pink and white polka dot bikini. Her face was round, and she had big, round eyes as well as flawless skin-even under the makeup I could tell that she was wearing. Her toes were painted to look like a french manicure and she had some toe rings and a belly button piercing. I pinned her as the girl who wanted to stick out, but only enough to still fit in with the norm.

The next girl to take a seat had long black hair down to her mid back wearing a baby blue, one piece bathing suit that showed off her curves. It had a keyhole front that showed the cleavage of her large breasts protruding under the tight fabric. She also wore a sun hat and heart shaped sunglasses; the pink kind. I guessed she had a higher status among the quartet. She was most likely their leader.

Girl number three had almost the same exact hair cut as the first girl and was wearing a strapless, red bikini that ruffled across her bust. When I took a closer look, my eyes weren’t just messing with me, and they were in fact, identical twins. The only difference was that her hair was a slightly darker shade of brown, as opposed to her sister’s, whose hair was dyed light brown. She was the conservative sister who didn’t get as much attention, but I’m sure her charming and generous personality made up for it.

Finally, the last girl to arrive, who was also on her phone, had her hair dyed auburn, tied up in a bun with a couple of loose curls around her face. She showed up in a seafoam green, one piece suit with the back cut out, exposing her pale, soft looking skin. Her flip flops scuffed the ground as her nose was buried into the importance of her cell phone. She halted in front of the table to finish her text, fingers moving rapidly among the keys. She was more flat chested compared to the girl in the blue, but the amount of skin she was showing, she thought, probably compensated for it. She was the drama queen.

The gears in my mind started to turn as I placed them on a scale of what their most and least attractive features were, already making assumptions of their personalities and what insecurities they had.  They would serve as a perfect form of entertainment for the time being, as I thought of ways I could manipulate them .

The fact that they were all looking a little  _ too _ doll-like with their makeup still on, carried namebrand handbags, had neatly done manicures and pedicures, gave me the inkling that their ‘daddies’ (or just one of them) were paying for their daughters’ vacation. They seemed as though they had too many zeroes that followed the number of their weekly allowance, I was sure that they indefinitely took for granted. Even their towels had their kanji embroidered in them.

“Chiyuki, just don’t even respond,” the girl with the black hair said, rolling her almond shaped eyes as she removed her glasses. She turned to the girl who was texting wearing, the green swim suit.

“Yeah, besides, you’ve got that cute gardener back home~,” the first girl, with the light brown hair teased, popping the gum she was chewing. “You know he’s totally got the hots for you.”

The girl Chiyuki, glared at her for the crude comment.

"He really isn't worth your time," her sister, the more timid twin, said softly.

The redhead took her concern into consideration and slipped the phone into the pocket of her purse.

"The gardener is  _ married _ , Fumiko, remember? And besides, he’s like 30!” she exclaimed.

“He’s still cute though…” the girl, Fumiko in the polka dots muttered, pulling out her own shades.

“I’m sure you’ll meet someone here,” the dark haired female said shortly, obviously annoyed. “Seeing as how you flirted with our chauffeur the entire ride over. Not to mention the bellboy, the concierge, and practically every other staff member we ran into.”

I listened intently to them bicker back and forth about how the redhead flirted with every boy she came into contact with.

“At least I don’t have my standards set so high that I won’t give anyone any chances,” Chiyuki scoffed.

The other girls giggled, so it must have been true.

“It’s not that I don’t give people chances, I just haven’t found anyone worth my time,” the female in blue said matter-of-factually.

I smiled, but had to hold back a chuckle at the double standard. The four girls had certainly piqued my interest.

“Does anyone have sunscreen?” the quiet twin spoke up trying to change the subject and stop the pointless argument.

“Doesn’t the glass, like, protect you from the sun?” her twin chimed in, lowering her glasses, still smacking her gum.

Someone cleared their throat and there was a moment of noticeable silence among the girls and I heard sandals scuffing on the ground.

I craned my ear to casually eavesdrop, still facing forward towards the pool. Their voices were too hushed for me to hear, but I think they had finally realized that they had someone spying on them.

“Oh shut up, I wasn’t staring.” The scoff sounded like it had come from Chiyuki, in the brief window of time I had used memorized their voices.

“You totally were!” the girl with the light brown hair sang teasingly.

“See, what did I tell you?” the girl in blue said in a ‘told you so’ manner. “If you think he’s so cute, why don’t you just tell him?” she sneered.

I could feel the secondhand self consciousness emanating off the redhead. 

_ Looks like it’s time to introduce myself. _

“You really aren’t being that discrete, you know?” I smirked, my gaze remaining ahead.

In the corner of my eye I saw all four girls freeze.

“Chiyuki-chan, was it?” I said tipping my head to the side to look above my aviators. I met her gaze. “And how did someone like myself, gain the attention of such a pretty, young woman?”

A deep blush crossed her cheeks. She obviously lived up to exactly how the dark haired girl had described her.

“Have you been listening this whole time?” Fumiko said, popping a bubble with her brow arched.

“Who knows,” I shrugged. “Maybe you caught my attention as well?” I mused them in a sickeningly sweet tone.

“Well that didn’t take long,” the edgy girl prompted.

“I’m Ayumi,” her twin, the peace settler said, briefly bowing her head politely to me.

“Orihara Izaya,” I said rolling to my side to give them my full attention. “And you are?” I beckoned to the long haired girl.

“Haru. And you already know she’s Fumiko.”

Fumiko smiled sending me a peace sign.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Haru-chan. Fumiko-chan.”

The girls didn’t seem to mind me dropping formalities, and they didn’t bother with them either when they addressed me:

“Orihara-kun-”

“You can call my by my given name, if you like,” I beamed a flirtatious grin.

Haru-chan cleared her throat again. “ _ Izaya _ -kun.” _ It was certainly a lot less cute when she said it.  _ “You’re not some creepy guy who’s actually older than he looks, right?”

“What’s it matter? We’re 18.”

Fumiko had obviously grown up in a well-known family to be this relaxed when meeting strangers, having no regard to tossing around personal information. She was the open book type and made sure that if you didn’t already know her, you certainly would after just one conversation. It made me wonder how often she managed to let her heart get broken.

“Well fancy that, me too,” I smiled as I lied without batting an eye.

“Are you here by yourself?” Ayumi asked, tilting her head to the side innocently.

“Ah, sadly I’m here with a large party. This is the first time in two weeks that I’ve managed to be alone.”

In their minds, being here for two weeks meant that I had money. Which for me, wasn’t a total lie.

“Where are you from?” Fumiko asked.

“Ikebukuro. And yourselves?”

“We’re from Azabu...You don’t look like you’re from Ikebukuro,” Chiyuki said, confusion in her tone.

Of course they were from one of the wealthiest, biggest business industry locations in Tokyo.

I shrugged. “It’s a pretty exciting place for people who bore easily.”

The dark haired girl took that as a challenge. “So laying around by yourself at a pool isn’t boring?” she said not looking impressed, crossing her arms.

“But of course! Otherwise, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet such lovely ladies.”

“Are you  _ sure _ you’re not some old, creepy dude, Izaya-kun?” Fumiko giggled, obviously pleased with my answer.

“I bet your friends ditched you,” Haru smirked and raised a sharp brow.

“That’s not very nice!” Ayumi scolded.

“It’s quite alright,” I assured her, chuckling. “My ‘friends’-” I said in quotation marks, “aren't exactly-”

“Who is  _ that _ ?” the girl in polka dots gasped, lowering her sunglasses down with her mouth agape, just like something you’d see in anime.

I followed the direction her finger was pointing curiously, and when I spotted their target, sighed deeply in disappointment.

The brute’s bright blonde hair was spotted easily in a sea of dark hair. He was wading in water up to his waist, leaning against the wall of the pool and talking with Kadota. The attention of all four of the girl’s was zeroed in on the taller, more built male. They were struck in awe, watching the protozoan idiot do nothing but breathe and move his mouth. I rolled my eyes in annoyance that went undetected, when I suddenly realized that these girl’s didn’t go to Rajin. They didn’t live in Ikebukuro. Therefore, they didn’t know the Fortissimo himself.

“Hmph.” I smirked in dissatisfaction. “Do you mean Shizu-chan?”

“The blonde guy?!” Fumiko turned to me in surprise before realizing I had referred to him with a pet name. “Shizu...what?”

I sighed again at their incompetence.

“Heiwajima Shizuo, is his name. Or well, in my case, he’s Shizu-chan.” I sneered in distaste.

“You know him?” Ayumi asked.

I barked a laugh when the girls wore the most perplexed expressions.

Of course, the time I get to be alone, has to be interrupted by something having to do with Shizuo.

“Don’t I, though,” I said distantly, watching him from across the water with them. “As a matter of fact, you could say the two of us are pretty close,” I said, quirking a smile.

“I can’t tell if you’re serious or not,” the girl in blue frowned.

“Oh, I’m serious.” I folded up my sunglasses to look at them directly. “I wouldn’t waste your time. He’s as dumb as he is good looking.”

Haru smirked back at me. “I’m impressed you can say that so casually, Izaya-kun.”

I knew what she was trying to get at. She was the leader because she’s sharp.

“Ah, it’s nothing like that,” I said, waving off her comment. “I’m just an honest guy…” I could feel the gears turning in my mind to see how I could manipulate the situation in my favor. I was already benefiting from them underestimating just how Shizu-chan worked, and as usual, I was going to keep him my trump card. “If you’d like, you know, I could introduce you?”

The girls smiled and nodded eagerly in unison.

“However…”

Suddenly they looked a little crestfallen.

“Shizu-chan...He’s not really good at talking to women,” I said in a low voice, as if he were sitting around to hear it.

“Awww,” they mused.

I didn’t let my smile falter as they romanticized the brute’s awkward idiocy. Humans could be so utterly stupid.

“Which is why I think the best way to introduce you all, is to play a game,” I said smoothly.

I rose from my chair and beckoned them to follow me. When I heard them padding right behind me, I turned around, looking down into their sparkling eyes. “Ah, you all aren’t wearing makeup are you?” I said stepping onto the graduated ramp that led into the shallow water.

“Don’t worry, it’s waterproof,” Chiyuki assured me.

I smirked, turning around to go further into the pool.

_ Let’s just hope Shizu-chan’s makeup is too. _

The girls moved slower as they followed me, not yet used to the water temperature, but I waited patiently.

“Oh, you’ll probably want to decide now, who’s going to partner up with Shizu-chan. He would get  _ incredibly _ flustered if you were to fight over him,” I said with a wink, and the girls, even Haru, giggled. “And one other thing,” I continued, gazing down at them. “He’s pretty strong, so he’s the last person you’d want to get CPR from, ne?”

They were all squealing now at the thought of it, and it made me want to hurl. I turned my attention forward, squaring my shoulders as I waded my way towards the group of guys, ignoring the whispering behind me.

_ Let the show begin, Shizu-chan. _

_ Shizuo _

 

“So...about last night…”

Kadota was an honest guy. One of my best friends, second to the perverted brunette in love with his headless roommate, and whatever the flea and I were now. Which is exactly what I knew he was getting at.

“Look, it’s...not like-”

“Sorry about the uh, gambling. It was supposed to be a joke. I didn’t actually think-”

“Yeah, I know.”

Nobody had to tell me it was Erika who was the mastermind behind the betting pool that took place on when the flea would make a pass at me. Shinra had texted me an apology for it earlier this morning, only  _ after _ he thanked me for his 2,000 yen winnings. I don’t know what pissed me off more, the fact that I was being bet on by people who I thought were my friends, or that the perverted bastard was the one to get money out of it. My brow twitched in annoyance. I would strangle him for it later…

“You don’t have to tell me anything, that’s uh, between you guys. But I’ll keep an eye out for you if Erika does anything sneaky again.”

It was good to have at least one level-headed friend.

“Thanks...I guess.”

“Be careful though, Shizuo. Izaya...he’s not right. Who knows what he’s up to.”

I wanted to tell Kadota that I  _ was _ being careful. That things were fine, and assure him that if anything got out of hand, I could handle it. But I knew deep down, that I wasn’t being careful at all. Anyone who’s crazy enough to establish any kind of truce with the louse was walking on a tightrope. I was aware that I had been the one to bring up the idea of being friends, and Izaya probably just agreed for his own personal amusement and gain. He was a slimy, mischievous, untrustworthy, little louse that could turn things against anyone in an instant. I was risking a lot by being civil with him and letting my guard down. Hell, after what we did, I’ve never felt so vulnerable in my life. But I remembered the same went for him.

He’s wears so many different masks to hide his true feelings, I didn’t think he had any to begin with. But now, over the past couple weeks, I’ve witnessed more of Izaya’s true self than he probably has all his life. Seeing him with an honest expression and hearing the sincerity in his voice I knew wasn’t fake, made me able to relax just a little bit. I was able to see that he was human too. Fucked up, but human nonetheless.

I wanted to tell someone that Izaya was bad, but he wasn’t  _ all  _ bad. Just lonely, like me. However, if I did something like that, it could ruin how well things had been going between us. The raven would probably get over dramatic about it and deny it anyway. I realized now, that his biggest insecurity was people thinking he was weak or incapable, so the last thing he’d want me to do is say to someone, ‘Izaya could sometimes be a good guy’.

I was sure Shinra had him figured out from the beginning and just kept quiet about it. Come to think of it, the nosy brunette knew more about me than I would have liked too.

“Don’t worry, I’ll watch my back,” was all I could safely respond with.

“If he  _ does _ try anything, you have ways of blackmailing him now, though~.”

Speak of the devil.

“And what is that supposed to mean?” I asked our bespectacled friend flatly.

“Whatever you want it to mean, Shizuo,” he chirped.

“The last thing I wanna do is stoop to the flea’s level,” I said narrowing my brows at the thought, even if I  _ did _ sometimes wish he would get a taste of his own medicine. “‘Sides, he didn’t do anything...wrong.” The words just kind of tumbled out, loosing the sternness in the point I was trying to affirm.

Both Shinra and Kadota quirked an eyebrow.

“So you’re standing up for him now?” the quack smirked.

“All I’m sayin’ is that he didn’t do anything for me to have a reason to blackmail him. If anything, I’ll just-”

“Ne, Shizu-chan,” the flea’s nasally voice sounded behind me. “I’m hurt that you didn’t wait for me,” he said in a melancholic sing-song voice.

My lips pinched to a tight line and I felt my eye twitch, still slightly agitated from the stunt he pulled in the locker room. No, I hadn’t forgotten about it.

“Flea-!” I growled turning around, but stopped suddenly when I met the gazes of four girls standing behind a smirking Izaya.

Kadota, Shinra and I looked at each other, puzzled.

“These are our new friends," he smiled his plastic smile as he addressed them individually. "This is Fumiko-chan and her sister Ayumi-chan, Haru-chan and Chiyuki-chan."

“Uh…” was all I could respond with for a moment before he continued, clearing his throat.

“And this is Shizu-chan, Dotachin, and over there, is Shinra.”

“It’s Kadota,” the man next to me articulated, just about when I was going to correct my name too.

The four girls bowed politely in greeting.

“It’s nice to meet you, Shizuo-kun,” the girl in a green swimsuit smiled, blushing.

I blinked a couple times at a loss for words, as the women continued to eye me up and down before I looked away and half-mumbled, “nice to meet you too…”

There was a loud squeal that turned everyone’s attention to the girl flaunting a polka dot bikini.

“I can’t believe you weren’t lying, Izaya-kun!” she shrieked clasping her hands around Izaya’s together in prayer. Even  _ he _ was slightly taken aback by her sudden elation, but grinned down nonetheless.

I rolled my eyes, that was the  _ last thing _ the bastard with a god complex needed.

“I get the feeling Izaya told you that they’re friends, right?” Shinra intervened, chuckling and shaking his head. “Well actually-”

“What Shinra means is, we all went to school together,” the raven interjected.

“Yes, but we are-”

“And we’re definitely up for that challenge you suggested, Haru-chan,” he winked.

"Suggestion…?” the girl in blue with the long hair’s expression changed to a perplexed one, obviously being put on the spot.

“Remember? You ladies wanted to play a game, ne?”

All four faces lit up instantly at the memo.

“Oh yeah! We wanted to play, um…” her eyes wandered over to Izaya’s for what looked like an answer, and he turned delightedly to us.

“Chicken.”

There was a sudden silence, but it was momentarily broken by Shinra’s empathetic laugh.

“Oh this should be good,” he said, nearly wiping the tears from his eyes from under his glasses.

I could feel the heat rising within me, whether it was anger or embarrassment, the flea was seriously gonna get it the second we leave this place.

_ Why does that sound so much more inappropriate now... _

“What’s wrong? I thought you would be more excited?” the raven cooed in false concern, looking up at me. His back was turned to the girls as he grinned his mischievous, cheshire grin. "They just wanted to have a little fun is all," he whispered sadistically. "You wouldn't want to let them down, now would you?"

"Ne, Dotachin, who are they?"

Another feminine voice rang through the silence. Erika, Yumasaki and Togusa had returned from the snack bar and we're looking at the clique of girls in confusion.

Izaya introduced them all again, the girls seemed to be less enthusiastic this time.

"Wow! You guys are super cute!" Our female member went over and stood a little too close for their liking. "Such soft skin and lips! It's nice to finally be around some girls! I’ve been around  _ waaaay _ too much testosterone lately, it can really be a drag," she whispered in a low voice to the group of girls. "I'm Karisawa Erika, by the way, nice to meet'cha!" The brunette said rapidly, holding out her hand.

The other girls looked at each other, and finally the twin in red took it with a shy smile.

To the girl's surprise, Erika pulled her in closer until their faces were only a handful of inches away. The opposite girl’s face flushed.

"I'm so jealous you have a twin! I always wanted a twin to cosplay with! Even if she were fraternal. But you guys are identical! I've only ever met Iza-Iza's twin sisters, but they're complete opposites of each other-!"

"I think they've heard enough!" Yumasaki said pulling his best friend away from the startled girl.

The flea chuckled, and he was  _ obviously  _ up to something. I could almost smell it, the shitty parasite, always plotting shit.

"Ehem," the devil himself regained the attention of his audience. "Everyone knows how the game is played, right?" he asked looking around, eyes stopping when they met mine. "It's when a girl sits on boy's shoulders and they try to push their opponent off into the water. Whomever are the last pair standing, are the winners,” he said disgustingly playfully. “However, since there are an odd number of women to men, one of the guys will have to sit out, that is," he challenged, "if you aren't chicken enough."

His keen gaze swept through the crowd again, mahogany eyes sharp enough to detect any sign of discomfort among his listeners. I realized now, that the girls must not have known what he was planning either, judging by the nervous looks they exchanged.

I knew that the damn flea was putting on this show for his personal amusement, not giving a single fuck about anyone else, as usual. Seeing as the girls were probably wrapped around his finger with God only knows what he's said to them, for them to agree to his stupid games.

As much as I hated it, if I backed out he'd taunt me about it and find a way to blackmail me into playing it anyway. My only option was to try to save the innocent girls from whatever his malicious intentions were this time.

Surely enough, I had given him too much credit and benefit of the doubt in my previous thoughts.

"Fine. But since you suggested it, you have to play too," I said flatly.

His grin widened in response.

"Well obviously, Shizu-chan," he rolled his eyes. "I do love a good challenge, after all,” he chuckled darkly, putting a hand on his hip.

Something about the way he said it didn't sit right with me.

"I'm fine with not playing," Shinra's cheerful voice rang as he hoisted himself up onto the side of the pool. "I'll watch. It wouldn't be fair to Celty anyway," he shrugged, and dammit if he weren't grinning smugly too.

"So ladies, who will it be?" the raven said coolly.

The girls whispered to themselves and finally came to a decision.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone is okay with the additional characters?? Like I said before, they're just here to give us a little more of a predicament...There will also be a few more characters that get more of the spotlight in future chapters that I have planned, but that may not be for a little while. I don't want to give away too much >w<  
> Either way, I am very excited for the upcoming chapters!! I haven't touched my other notes for LLW in a while, so reviewing it will be fun! I have some more ideas to make things more realistic?  
> Also, I just remembered that I wanted to clarify something. So I know that during the time our little Rajin attendees were going to school it was NOT during modern times (and I mean this as far as anime, music and technology, etc., mentioned that are more current). I never wanted to specify what day in age this was taking place because I hadn't decided if I wanted it to be canon?? I mean after all, the school is now Raira Academy--But I wanted to just say that I am going to make it during the present, where basically everyone has smartphones and social media, and technology is how it is nowadays. As well as everything modern that follows. Just to make it more relatable.  
> Phew, well that's a lot to take in tonight, so I'll leave you guys hanging until next time!  
> Thank you for all the kudos and comments! I really love checking my email and seeing that you guys have left feedback! It means the world to me! ;-; Until then~


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BRAND NEW NEW CHAPTER!!  
> I'm so excited to share this with you guys! Posting fresh work that no one has seen yet gets me really pumped to write more! I hope you all enjoy the new juicy stuff! ~

_ Izaya _

 

" _ Oooh, Shiuzo-kuuun~," _ the overly-exuberant, feminine voice chimed in a sing-song manner.

Fumiko skipped across the floor of the pool, playfully splashing, as she approached the tall blonde-who was looking much less enthusiastic. "You seem like a pretty tough guy, so I know you won't let me fall, right?" she cooed, pouting her lower lip ever so slightly and batting her eyelashes.

"That's-!..." He began, but held back whatever protozoan-level comment he was going to say, and instead, responded quietly with, "I'll...do my best..."

He was still slightly flushed, and obviously  _ very _ unsure about what he had just gotten himself into, but the attempt remained as he tried to keep his voice level. It was annoying to see how tame the beast could be just by the presence of a girl; a stranger nonetheless.

_ Hmph, how lame. _

_ "Waaaait!!" _

Everyone's head spun around to where Erika had approached the more soft spoken twin like before.

"Fair maiden, it would be an honor..."

"Umm…!" the short haired girl stuttered at the  extended hand in front of her.

"I have no interest in 3D girls."

Behind us, what would usually be an obnoxiously passionate voice, was instead, the most apathetic and dismissive tone I had ever heard come out of the boy's mouth. Yumasaki then hoisted himself out of the water to sit next to Shinra, crossing his arms, already looking fatigued.

After he had made his point, everyone's attention turned back to Erika and the girl in red.

After giving it a moment's thought, she accepted the hand in front of her that Erika clasped excitedly to.

"Woohoo! Girl power! We'll show those guys what we're  _ really _ capable of," she said with a devious smirk.

_ Well this was certainly a charming change of events _ , I decided. Anything to make the game more interesting.

Nobody had even noticed the most flirtatious of the girl of the bunch had started up a conversation with Dotachin already...Which, in turn, could only mean that-

"Looks like it's you and me, Izaya-kun."

I turned to meet eyes as hard and cold as steel. Even in the warm water I felt the threat of a chill yearning to run down my spine. I could sense the venom behind Haru’s words, even if she said them with a knowing smile, bright enough to knock anyone off their feet.

_ Almost  _ anyone.

I tried not to outwardly sigh at the fact that of all people,  _ she  _ was the one pursuing me. I should have already guessed by now, by her behavior. She had most likely decided the partner arrangements for the activity before everyone was even introduced, and was acting clueless the entire time. She had always had a close eye on me, as if she were evaluating and scrutinizing my every move. In her eyes, I was a challenge, which meant her friends were exactly right; she wasn't so willing to give people chances like they were freebies.

I was sure she was aware that  _ I _ was aware of all of this too. In fact, she was most likely playing her cards to disregard the game altogether and saw me as the ultimate opponent. Perhaps, she was bored like me, as well? 

Her dominant personality and quick mind, I suspected, would definitely shake things up a bit during our little match. I could feel the excitement blooming in my chest as I thought of just how amusing humans truly were. I would gladly take her on as an opponent.

"And here, all this time I thought maybe I had rubbed you the wrong way. I'm flattered, really," I purred in a sickeningly sweet tone, lowering myself in the water for her to climb on-which she was definitely not gentle about doing.

The other girls were raised onto their partner's shoulders, Shizu-chan and Fumiko-chan being the last to fumble around before she was comfortably seated on the tense heap of muscle.

"Fumiko-san," I heard him whisper under the loud splashing of the raven haired girl's thighs around my neck.

The girl sitting high up top the blonde's shoulders lowered her head down, but I noticed the blush immediately sweep across his cheeks as the front of her body pressed against the back of his head. He stuttered, and quietly mumbled a low apology in advance as he assured her that even though he was strong, he would be gentle.

I felt a sense of annoyance as she returned giggling, oblivious to the fact that those long fingers holding onto her ankles, were capable of snapping them in a second with no effort at all.

A huge part of me wished to see just how our new little friends would handle seeing the beast for what he truly was. However, this was a test of how well he could control himself.

I stood up, squaring my shoulders so that Haru and I were both comfortable and my hands locked securely around her calves.

"How's the weather up there," I called, as I canted my head upward to flash her a winning smile.

"I like it. Don't even think about dropping me," she said monotonously, with a certain bite to it.

I chuckled, still amused that the ice queen believed she had me all figured out.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Haru-chan~."

"Woah! You're kinda slippery!" Erika shrieked, swaying to the side before finding her center. "Don't worry though, I won't let you fall!"

The two girls who had paired up were still finding their balance, and surprisingly Ayumi was patient with her. Despite her eyes still showing signs of worry and uncertainty, she smiled thoughtfully with rosy cheeks.

Kadota seemed to have no problem holdIng Chiyuki up. It was only then did I realize that I really had my work cut out for me between our height differences.

Togusa, Shinra and Yumasaki sat at the edge of the pool, feet still kicking around in the water. Shinra-the sadistic bastard-looked like he was going to enjoy this a lot more than he should, if he knew what was best for him. Yumasaki barely seemed interested and probably would have left if it weren't for his partner-in-crime currently feeling up the slender thighs of her new acquaintance. Togusa was looking pale, probably still feeling the pain of a hangover. He had been showing small signs of discomfort from the sunlight emitting through the glass panes of the ceiling and loud splashing in every directions.

"Don't worry about me, Shizuo-kun, I trust you," the light brunette assured her knight with a smile, daring to ruffle his hair. All the more worry was setting into his facial features as his expression darkened.

"Aw Shizu-chan, don't look so worried, even if this  _ is _ the first time your head has been between a girl's legs, I have complete faith in you," I called across the water in an overly cheerful tone.

The girls and Shinra giggled mercilessly, while Kadota tried to contain a chuckle. In the meantime, Shizuo looked over at me and turned beat red.

Before he could say anything, I felt the nudge of a smooth knee to my jaw as the sharp tone above my head addressed me.

"Hey," she snapped in a low voice out of earshot to the others. "Don't get too distracted, lover-boy, I don't feel like losing."

My brow twitched at the nickname, but I ignored the comment, responding with an equal amount of warmth as before.

"A sore loser, are we? It would seem you've chosen the side with a disadvantage though, seeing as those two are taller than me," I pointed out, grudge aside.

"Oh, I'm not worried about that, I  _ know _ if you put forth the effort we will win." I could hear the smirk behind the toxicity in her words. "I just want to see how your boyfriend reacts...Or has he been rejecting you all along?"

I knew her petty, green-eyed, nonsense was her just trying to rile me up. However, being the bigger person that I was, concluded that this was just her nature as a human being. Haru-chan's true colours were starting to show. The virulent mechanics in her mind were focused on finding any weakness I might have so she could 'bully' me for something so simple, so  _ trivial _ as to prove that she had some kind of power and control over those who were graced with her presence; a non-discriminate kind at that.

I felt for Haru, I really did. However,  _ her _ way of playing, versus  _ my _ way of playing, had a single, gaping flaw...

She controlled and manipulated because she was selfish. Her wrath had no endpoint, nor a goal. She simply did it because she had insecurities; a void perhaps, she was desperate to fill. In short, she just did not love herself.

But that was why I was all the more able to love her as a human being. Despite being a bitter, malevolent, envious woman projecting her flaws onto someone else, I was able to find a certain charm in her desperate attempt to defile me. After all, she was just an empty shell on a crowded beach. There were so many girls like her, all frantic for attention. But in the bigger picture, they were all the same. All indisposable.

In the end, it didn't matter to me whether she was hollow or vibrant, hot or cold-for she was still an amusing human being who had her own purpose and potential. That is why I could forgive her.

"Your words of encouragement are certainly appreciated, but I'll have you know that Shizu-chan and I are  _ definitely  _ not an item; nor have I been rejected," I clarified cheerfully.

"Well then you won't feel too hurt if he loses now, will you?"

A grin crept it's way across my lips. "I wouldn't love to see anything more than for that beast to fall," I assured her.

She made a small sound of triumph at my response.

"Good boy," she 'praised', patting my head.

_ Sadistic woman. _

"Is everyone ready then?" Erika asked eagerly.

"Shinra, I know you're working so hard over there, but would you like to do the honors?" I huffed scornfully, tossing my dampened bangs out of my eyes.

"Certainly! On the count of three."

Everyone braced as the brunette started the countdown and all the girls chimed in sync.

"Three, two, one-GO!"

It was pathetic, really. Dotachin had walked right up to Shizuo and the two girls had locked hands, trying to push each other off, giggling. The blonde didn't know what else to do but stand there nervously and help the twin keep her balance. Meanwhile, Kadota, who met him almost at eye-level, seemed to actually find the game entertaining.

The blonde's eyes didn't know which way to look; his vision happened to be taken up mostly by boobs, which left him awkwardly looking around desperate for something else to focus on. Occasionally curiosity would get the better of him and I noticed the twitch of his fingers every time he managed to get a full shot of cleavage. His mop of bleach blonde that usually covered his ears was partially slicked back with water, exposing their tips to be bright red.

I clenched my jaw tighter as I watched the scene, ignoring the way I felt my stomach drop at his natural, hormonal instincts.

"Iii-zaaa-yaaa-kuuun!" a shrill voice echoed loudly.

I let my gaze drop from the other pair and looked at the person whose voice had addressed me mimicking the usual tone that was used when I had managed to piss a certain someone off.

Slowly, the otaku girl and her partner approached us, their speed reduced by the force of the water that fought against them as she twisted and turned her way over.

I took a few leisurely steps forward to meet her, and she stood around eye-level with my chin.

The girl on my shoulders didn't hesitate to lean forward, putting more pressure on my neck than I was sure necessary.

"Careful ladies, it would be a shame if you were to harm those beautiful faces of yours~," I said smoothly, as if I were actually serious.

"Iza-Iza is so cruel! You shouldn't say that to a lady!" Erika scolded between clenched teeth as she was struggling to keep her partner upright.

"Hmph," the raven above me scoffed. "That's why you're on the bottom, Izaya-kun."

"I beg your-"

With a force strong enough for me to take a few recoiling steps back, Haru gave one final push to the tower of girls, causing them to tumble over, hitting the water with a resounding  _ smack _ . During which, a small, freshly pedicured foot came into contact with the side of my jaw.

"Hnn--!"

I winced at the sudden sear of pain that tingled on what I could feel was going to instantly swell, and if it weren't for the female riding on my shoulders to find balance for both of us, we would have been next.

"That was too close." I felt sharp nails digging into my scalp as she pulled a fistful of hair and hissed by my ear.

When the large splash had subsided, all eyes were in our direction when the first opponents to lose resurfaced, coughing.

"We're...okay!" Erika choked, out of breath.

The small feminine coughs coming from the other brunettes rose, wet bangs hanging in her face and covering her eyes.

"Are you okay, sis?!" Fumiko’s worried voice shrieked across the water, her and Chiyuki’s hands still locked and frozen in place.

The two males beneath them were also glancing over with stunned expressions holding their breaths.

Everyone awaited her response and we were all a little surprised when she started to giggle, and nodded.

"That was chilly," she laughed a whimsical laugh and the other men in the room let out an involuntary sigh of relief.

"But did you see how you totally uppercut Izaya-kun when you fell?!" Chiyuki shouted, bursting out into a much less delicate laughter.

Fumiko and Shinra couldn't hold in their giggle fits either, seeming to have witnessed the accidental combat. Kadota and idiot Shizu-chan were attempting to hold back their chuckles just at the idea.

My hand still cupped my cheek as I glanced down at the tiny girl, whose eyes immediately went wide with horror.

"I am so sorry, I didn't-"

"It's quite allright, I assure you," I beamed a smile, but I could feel the tug of what would be a bruise by morning.

"Ne, Haru-chan, are you okay too?" Shinra asked, but I knew he could care less.

"Just a little startled," she waved off with an elegant smile with one hand, but the one pulling at my locks tightened.

Erika and Ayumi were making their way over to the ledge of the pool to join the audience with the other three boys. Erika shuffling over to sit as close to the other brunette girl as possible. Ayumi didn’t seem to notice as she tried to wring out the water in her hair, and it was surprising that her makeup was still in contact. It really must have been undoubtedly expensive to survive a fall like that without a single smudge of mascara.

I considered the quality of Shizuo's makeup, still uncertain as to whether or not it would guarantee to stay in place. At this point in time, I could care less.

“Look out!”

The irritated voice from above snapped me out of my observations as a shadow soon loomed over us. If it weren’t for Haru-chan being as alert as I hated to admit, Kadota and Chiyuki-chan would have ambushed us before I could duck and move out of the way as swiftly as I possible with the additional weight of another body holding me down. They must have seen an open opportunity and left Shizu-chan’s team to attack us first.

What I didn’t expect was for the girl on the other’s shoulders to be in an almost-standing position, her heels balanced on the palms of the larger male. I hoped that Haru didn’t get any creative ideas and try to test the strength abilities I didn’t have.

She was on guard though, and would quickly lean from side to side to avoid the redhead’s grabby hands that aimed at her shoulders.

“I see your Muay Thai classes are paying off, Haru-chan!” Chiyuki said in a tone that could be considered more out of adoration, than a real tease.

“Yoga seems to be doing likewise, Chiyuki-chan,” the raven said coolly.

Meanwhile, I was trying to follow the swift movements of my partner and maintain a steady center as Kadota kept stepping towards us. However,  _ his _ attention was not focused on the few times he had nearly stepped on my feet as I treaded backwards. He was watching as the two girls continued to grab and dodge and grab and dodge again, the slight curve of a smile at the edge of his lips.

“Shizuo-kun, shouldn’t we-?”

“O-oh, r-right…” the blonde mumbled as he was brought out of his daydream. In the corner of my eye to my left, I saw he and Fumiko take long strides towards us.

_ I don’t have much time if they’re going to surround us...and I will NOT lose to Shizuo... _ I thought, glancing back and forth between Dotachin who was absentmindedly taking steps closer and the blonde who would soon be cornering us from behind.

_ Quickly...quickly… _

As soon as my thoughts had registered I gave a gentle pinch to Haru’s calf and stepped back abruptly, squinting my eyes as I started swatting in the air.

"I certainly hope no one is allergic to bees," I said, feigning worry as I waved one of my hands around my face.

The sudden change of my character made everyone around us stop; even the sound of Shizuo idle splashing with each step came to a halt.

With the hand I was using to hold onto the girl on my shoulder’s legs, I tapped her a few times to indicate that it was an act and an assistant would be ideal at the moment.

She understood and I heard a waver in her voice as she tried to stay in character.

“There  _ is _ a bee!” she said swatting the space around her.

“A bee?! Where?!” Chiyuki’s eyes went wide as she sat back down, cowering behind Dotachin’s head to the best of her abilities.

Kadota looked around too, scrutinizing the air, as if he would be the one to save her from the pretend insect.

“Oh oh oh, I am  _ not _ going over there, uh-uh, nope.” I could tell Fumiko was shaking her head behind me, probably trying to disappear behind blonde locks as well.

“Remember the last time you got stung by a bee, Chiyuki? Didn’t you get a huge red mark that took up, like, half your arm?” The voice above me spoke in concern.

You could see the the flashback of worry as the redhead seemed to recall the time through her eyes.

“I heard bees are attracted to the colour green too!”

I knew that Haru was milking the situation to add more anxiety to the helpless girl wearing the light green swimsuit.

I smiled internally as I admired Haru for being able to betray a friend so easily.

“Look! There it goes!” I shouted suddenly, pointing past Chiyuki’s head.

She screeched, and Kadota mustn’t have had a strong enough hold on the other’s legs, as she immediately dove off his shoulders into the pool.

It didn’t take but a second to feel the raven haired girl start to giggle above me.

“Well done, Izaya-kun,” she praised devilishly.

Kadota's eyes snapped down to mine, confusion flashed in his eyes before the realization sunk in and his expression changed to be not-so-surprised.

"Nice improv," I heard Shinra clapping giddily from the sidelines as the rest of the benchwarmers sat watching in amusement; give for Erika, whose mouth was agape in shock, as I had so easily conned the girl-which she probably deemed sexist and unfair of me. I thought surely that by now she knew that it was always fair game with me, and that I didn't favor any gender more than another when I played with humans.

"Flea!"

The furious bark behind me had me spinning around to meet the blonde's simmering gaze with a delighted smile.

It didn't take him but half a second to make his way over, obviously pissed off.

"'The fuck was that for?!"

He seemed to have forgotten the filter he tried keeping around the women we had acquaintanced within the past hour, and the surprise in Fumiko's eyes as she looked down at her knight went entirely unnoticed by the brute.

"'The hell kind of guy are you to scare an innocent girl out of her mind over a stupid game? That wasn't part of the rules! You said you had to push each other off!"

I shrugged as well as I could, a smirk drawing at my lips as I chuckled darkly.

"There was no rule against them jumping off willingly, Shizu-chan, need I remind you. Don't you think it's less violent that way?" I cooed.

"You scared her, you dumbass!" he growled, pointing over at the girl who had risen to sit with her other friend.

"Frankly, I'm surprised you haven't frightened everyone else away, with that colourful vocabulary of yours. And since when do you play by the rules, monster?" I huffed a laugh.

He was fuming now, and I could tell from my mentioned comment he was really trying to hold back from strangling me to  _ not _ send them running.

"Besides, I'm not afraid of playing dirty," I said in a velvety voice as I took a step closer to him.

Something else flashed in those caramel orbs as I continued:

"I'm not afraid of playing dirty at all," I proceeded to edge closer, my grin widening. "I set this game up for us to have fun, and I assure you that I'm having lots of it."

He took a step back scrutinizing me as my words spilled out, almost manic.

"Seeing that helpless and flustered expression you've been sporting since we started surges copious amount of joy through me, I can barely contain it. Even now, watching you hold back that brute strength of yours has my blood hot waiting for you to finally snap."

He took another step back, eyes widening and colour starting to stain his cheeks. The brunette on his shoulders sat with her mouth wide open, not looking much better from utter shock at my bluntness.

I craned my neck to look up at him closer, following him as he backed away. "You've always had such a soft spot for women, but since they never approach you, I figured-being the great friend that I am-why not introduce you? I'm doing  _ you _ a favor," I brought a hand up to my chest as if he had just accused me of doing the opposite. "Don't think that I haven't noticed your eyes curiously wondering in places a  _ real _ gentleman's wouldn't. Who's the dirtier one now?" I said it in a tone that, if you didn't know me, would sound almost like a praise if it weren't for the twist in my words.

All was quiet around us before he gained the courage to speak up, cheeks darkened to a flushed rose colour.

"You dare say that after using these girls for your own entertainment? If you have a problem with me, talk to me without dragging anyone else into it," he said virulently through clenched teeth.

"Oh? And since when did talking about our feelings work best with you?" I chided, raising an eyebrow in inquisition. "After all, actions speak volumes when it comes to the likes of you," I drawled, smooth and low, "and I learned that firsthand last night~."

It didn't take but a simple push of my index finger to send him stumbling back, losing his balance in the water, the female on his shoulders joining him in his all but graceful descend.

I felt a wave of power and adrenaline rush through my veins, that that was all it took to have the brute wrapped around my finger.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd just like to say that I am very pleased with how this one ended. *Pats self on back*.  
> I can't wait to see where things go from here! I'm hoping I'll be able to update every week, but by next time I'll let you know if it will be weekly or biweekly ^^; I have a lot of ideas to share, but I want them all to be perfect!  
> Anyway, PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!! <3  
> Thanks again for all your support, and a special thank you to everyone who has helped me write/edit this thus far, I LOVE YOU GUYS.  
> Until next time~


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I know it's been ages since I updated, but I was really stumped on this chapter for a while...What I thought I was going to write completely changed as I was going through the chapter and I'm saving the rest for the next one...This is one of my longest chapters, if not the longest! I hope you like where this is going, since now I'm no longer editing, but writing all new stuff.  
> I've already started my next one, so I'm hoping to get that one out asap!  
> Enjoy!

_ Shizuo _

 

My ears were ringing as the water flooded around me. My eyes stung from the chlorine, and my throat was tight; suffocating. My heartbeat felt irregular and the wind had been knocked out of me. I felt as if I were drowning.

I wasn’t, and I knew that, but I didn’t want to resurface. Who knew what would happen then? Would I actually strangle him? Would I commit murder in front of all these people? I wondered.

It wasn’t rage that filled my vision this time, however. After years of dealing with Izaya’s taunts and insults, it wasn’t like  _ that  _ was anything new...I was used to the humiliation. Used to the resentment.

_ This _ wasn’t like the other times, though. Any other time, I wouldn’t let something so freely knock me down-figuratively, that was. I would get back up and fight. I wouldn’t think twice before throwing a punch that could easily send him to the hospital. Maybe  _ then _ he’d get the picture.

But no. This time was different. This was a new feeling of defeat and dejection, and as frustrating as it was, I wouldn’t waste the energy on retaliating.

I felt used, much like the other girls who had come to the realization that the flea’s sweet talking was nothing but lies and manipulation. I had played into his hands, just like them...But they were temporary things.

_ Huh. Sounds strange to think that for myself. I’m starting to sound more and more like the flea bastard, now…Perhaps, hanging around him has made me more of a pessimist? Or no...A realist, maybe? _

Either way, I felt cold and sinking, like a stone. I felt empty, tossed aside.

The one question that etched at the back of my brain like nails on a chalkboard, however, was:

_ Now that he’s had what he wanted, have I become boring to him? _

I hadn’t realized that I was standing; the outside world still deafened by my racing thoughts. I was looking down at my open palms, as if the water droplets that gathered there were from the abundance of emotions I wanted to shed.

“Shizuo-kun?”

Startled back into reality, now hundreds of voices filling the air, splashing, whistles being blown, and a soft tone of worry from a girl I had only just met, addressed me. A delicate hand was placed on my arm. She looked up at me as if she had known me all my life. It was the same look my mother gave me after I realized my emotions had taken over and I had become a monster all over again. It was a look of guilt.

I hadn’t destroyed anything  _ yet, _ though,  _ physically. _ But I honestly wondered what I had done or said that had caused this chain of events. Things were fine earlier so why, all of the sudden...

did things go so wrong? Why did I feel so betrayed? 

“Sorry, I just had the wind knocked out of me,” I said looking into the puppy-dog eyes of my teammate. I only just realized she was soaked from head to toe.

Her expression softened and her lips curved into an understanding smile. “You took a majority of the fall for me,” she winked. “So I guess I should thank you for that.”

I didn’t say anything, but I was sure that my confused expression spoke for me.

“Yeah, on the way down I totally kicked you in the head,” she chuckled. “My bad.” She stood on her tiptoes to point a manicured finger to my jaw. “Looks like it was harder than I thought, though…” she frowned suddenly.

“I can’t believe you actually bruised him!” a shrill voice from the sidelines echoed in disbelief.

“Frankly, neither can I.” Shinra joined Erika’s comment in a more suspicious tone, cupping his chin.

“What if, like, he has a concussion or something?” Chiyuki asked sitting on the other side of them next to Ayumi. “It took him a while to respond, after all.”

When their words finally clicked in my brain, I immediately ran a hand up to the side of my neck. My eyes widened with worry as the panic set in.

“Shizuo-kun, did I really hurt you that badly?” The girl before me asked again, with equal uneasiness.

“N-no, I didn’t--I’m fine, really. Didn’t feel a thing.” I felt the words spill out like word vomit. If I had to talk to anyone anymore, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to make any sense. My head was spinning as I started looking for a way out, to not be the center of attention.

I looked around me, my gaze falling on the raven haired man a few feet away. His expression wasn’t like I thought it’d be. He may as well have been scrutinizing me after not receiving a ‘proper’ reaction, but there was something else unreadable that masked him. He was quiet too, which led me to believe that his audience had also not reacted the way he had planned. He was thinking of his next move, calculating it carefully.

I couldn’t help but narrow my eyes back at him. Why would he do this  _ now _ ? Why would he make such a blunt remark that dragged  _ him _ under the bus too? Did he really not think of the consequences? Or simply not ca-

_ That was it. That’s what he wanted.  _ I felt the lightbulb go off in my head.

It’s because he  _ does _ care what others think. He  _ wants  _ them to know that there is something going on between us.

_ He’s jealous. _

I felt the breath I had been holding in relax and my shoulders shrugged in return.  _ That _ caused another expression to cross his features-if but only for a moment his eyes widened, like he had been waiting for something else.

I looked down at the shorter girl with a somewhat flustered smile. Not from her concern, but from my own epiphany.

“Really, I’m fine.”

Her eyes lit up and she nearly swooned: “Shizuo-kun is so gentlemanly~.” Her other friends agreed in awe.

Izaya snorted behind them, turning to leave. I realized that I was being surrounded by women the moment he began to walk away.

“Shizuo-kun, are you seeing anyone? Do you have anyone to take care of you?” Haru had asked, snaking an arm around my own.

“Uh-”

_ Had they honestly just forgotten the whole incident? _

“Yeah, do you have a girlfriend?” Chiyuki inquired, batting her eyelashes.

“Wow, check out his biceps!” Fumiko giggled.

“Why don’t you show us around? We only just got here today, after all. Izaya-kun said you’ve been staying here for a while,” Haru said cooly. She had a certain vibe to her that didn’t sit well with me. My instincts led me to believe she was more devious than she appeared, which sounded all too familiar.

“H-he did, did he? Well, I uh…”

I looked around to my other friends as a plea for help, hoping they would understand my predicament.

Shinra was smiling and chatting with Erika, who had suddenly grown very close to the other twin that was laughing along with them. No one else seemed to jump to the gun at my distress.Yumasaki and Togusa were laying back on their towels, most likely asleep.

The girls continued to bicker at each other and I felt awkward grabs and squeezes of various hands traveling up my arms. My eyes trailed back to where Izaya had slunk back out of the pool to gather his things from one of the chairs.

_ Why did he have to be so goddamn moody? _

Finally, when Kadota and I locked eyes, he simply stared back and shrugged, obviously just as lost as I was. This was probably taking a hit on his ego from the sudden lack of attention as well.

_ Trust me buddy, you don’t want this... _ I thought, as I felt myself being sandwiched between two petite bodies. As if the first challenge wasn’t enough, it was becoming too overwhelming for me to have so much physical contact

I looked pitifully back up at Kadota, _ my man, my buddy, my last light of hope, c’mon! _

“Hey, ehem, Shizuo, didn’t you forget to…?” The baritone of Kadota’s voice interrupted the chatty girls long enough for me to weasel my way out of my sticky situation. Alas, my prayers were answered.

“Y-yeah, actually, I just remembered I have something very important to do, so I-” I began to shrug them off, “-I’m, uh, gonna go do it.”

I made a dash for my exit, hopping out of the pool onto the concrete floor. I didn’t bother looking back when Erika, Ayumi and Shinra’s heads whipped around to follow me.

“Ne, Shizuo, where are you off to so suddenly?” our bespectacled friend asked as I quickly padded away.

“I just...Gotta take care of something. I’ll catch up with you later.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw him shrug with a forgiving smile, returning his attention back to his conversation. I kept my back turned, not wanting to see or hear the other girls’ reactions, though, I did feel kind of bad…

I shook my head. No, there are more important matters at hand, here.

_ Dammit Izaya, don’t disappear. _

I headed for the locker room after grabbing my towel. I kept almost bumping into people, and did manage to run into the elderly man as soon as I opened the door to the locker room. He mumbled something about ‘impolite teenages nowadays, back in my day-’, but I didn’t have time so much to bow and mutter a quick apology as I hurried away. When I entered, my heart nearly sank because of-fucking-course, it was absolutely crowded. It was a few hours past lunch time, which must have been the universal occasion for everyone on the whole goddamn resort to decide to go swimming.

_ He’s gotta be in here. He couldn’t have left yet… _

I scanned my surroundings for the smaller male with dark hair, only to realize, that was basically everyone in japan.

I walked through the different rows of lockers searching for him. I craned my ears, listening for that familiar, nasally voice, but to no avail. I looked for ivory-pale skin and a lithe figure that was unmistakably his own, but so far, none of these people matched his frame.

I even resorted to checking people’s feet under the doors of the bathroom stalls-as if I actually remembered what they looked like…

...Actually, who knew, I probably did at this point.

I had passed by the opaque curtains of the changing rooms, but none of the silhouettes were his.

Letting out a heavy sigh the in defeat, I placed a hand on the edge of the wall to balance myself as I thought about my options. Well, what little there were.

_ Maybe he headed back to the room after all... _

Just as I was about to give up and leave, I heard an off tune humming coming from behind one of the shower curtains. It was so annoyingly familiar, that I almost felt elated. That was, if I didn’t have another matter to settle first.

_ That’s gotta be him. _

But what do I say? Subconsciously, I walked over to stand on the other side of the camouflage the flea had used to hide himself. I took a deep breath, in and out, before clearing my throat. I had to stop myself from knocking on the curtain.

The humming came to a screeching halt and something clattered to the floor on the other side. The curtain swayed from the movement behind it, as I could only roll my eyes and imagine that I had startled him enough to drop something.

“This stall is taken, feel free to use the next one.” Despite the monotonous tone, I had recently picked up on his manner of speaking when he was irritated.

“Fl-Izaya...I-”

“Feel  _ free _ to use the next one,” he repeated icily.

I took a step back to give him some space, even between our barrier. My shoulders slumped as I pondered my best approach. He wasn’t going to make it easy for me, that's for sure. I had to think of a way to get him to talk to me. I had to  _ trick _ him into talking to me. I just needed a response of any kind, and I could go from there.

“Say...I’ve been thinking…”

…

…

...

“Well I’ve always kind of wondered...Do you think Erika’s…”

…

…

...

“Into women?”

Another item clattered behind the curtain and there was an immediate “ _ ouch _ ” that followed.

I couldn’t help but smirk inwardly.

“Why, Shizu-chan,” I heard him sigh after a prolonged moment, “would you be asking me that? Do assume that because  _ I’m _ gay, I can tell when other people are too?” he voiced in obvious irritation.

I blinked a few times after the words finally processed through my mind. He admitted it, just now-right there, in front of me. This has been a monumental breakthrough.

“N-no, that’s not what I was imply-”

“Yes, she’s gayer than Christmas. You’re just now noticing?”

I had to bite the chuckle that wanted to seep through my lips.

“W-well, I just wanted to have a second opinion is all...Didn’t mean to offend you or anything.” I smiled cheekily.

“Why should I be offended?” he inquired, testing me.

“You shouldn’t be. That’s the thing,” I said, shaking my head. “It doesn’t matter if you are or aren’t. You’re you, and I-I like...that.” The words just sort of tumbled out of me. _ Shit. Ah, and it was going so well. _

“Hmph,” I heard the smirk behind his words. “How flattering.”

Closing my eyes and biting the inside of my cheek I thought about my next move before I went through with it. I would probably regret it later.

I ripped open the curtain quick enough to sneak in, closing it firmly behind me. He yelped in surprise as I backed him into the wall holding his face between my hands. Our eyes were locked as his widened crimson orbs stared in bewilderment into mine. His chest noticeably seized in a pant as he tried catching his breath under me.

I remembered that we were still in public, and that I would have to keep my voice down as I fought the wake of trembles through the length of my arms to my fingertips. I finally mustered the courage to speak.

“Flea,” I began with his nickname sincerely, in a low, hushed voice. “It’s okay to be who you are and not be ashamed of it. If you don’t like girls, that’s cool. If you like guys, that’s cool too. Just...don’t let yourself get wound up in so many negative emotions. Okay?” I paused.

I had obviously taken him by surprise, although I could already hear his voice in the back of my mind taunt, _ ‘but what else could be expected from a beast?’ _ followed by that all-knowing smirk.

But he wasn’t smirking now, nor patronizing me. Instead, he was searching my eyes for what looked like an answer to my unexpected demeanor.

“No matter what, you've always been the same pesky flea to me. The same thorn in my side since the day we met. It never made a difference then, and it doesn't make a difference now. I've always accepted you as you are, even if you are a bastard at times...You've grown on me like a damn parasite and I’ve learned to kind of like it…”

He was silent at the seriousness of my tone; one of the few times that I had ever seen him speechless.

He moved his hand to hold onto one of the hands that cradled his face. His touch was warm from the shower, as was the skin under my palms. We stood like that for a minute, unspeaking.

I wondered if I had gone too far. If I had said something else that I shouldn’t have, that might put him in another mood. I retraced my speech for any possible mishap, but he interrupted me.

“Shizu-chan…” he whispered almost inaudibly. I wouldn’t have caught it, had I not been staring at his lips.

I swallowed hesitantly, feeling the dryness in my mouth. “Izaya…”

“Why?”

My eyes darted back up to his red ones. To my surprise, he looked worried instead of mad.

“Why?” I repeated, with more intonation.

“Why are you...saying such things?” his voice cracked as he whispered in desperation.

Maybe I had said the wrong thing, after all.

The showerhead above us rained down his face and body. The tiny droplets trickled from his dampened hair to the ivory of his skin, caressing his cheeks and lacing between my fingers. Smaller beads of water collected at the corners of his long lashes as he stared intently back at me. Every emotion possible swarmed within the garnet of his irises. It was as if he couldn’t choose. He looked shaken up, but his thin brows knit in confusion.

I straightened where I stood, never letting our gazes drop. I gave him a thoughtful expression as I continued in a softer voice, hoping to mend things.

“Take this as an apology for upsetting you earlier...Back at the room, that was insensitive of me. I could tell you felt vulnerable...I don’t want you to feel like you have to confess to me or anything. And I don’t want to force you to feel a certain way, either.” I leaned in to embrace him under the water. “I’m sorry about the things you told me earlier. I had no idea that was how you felt all this time…” I felt the need of my honesty to continue to pour out of me. “I guess it’s selfish of me, but...I’m kind of glad that you told me.”

He didn’t hug me back, and I didn’t expect him to, so I made the gesture brief. I took a step back to look at him, but bit my lip when I did so, not at all expecting the sight before me.

He was looking away as his delicate fingers tucked one of the black strands of wet hair behind his ear. His face was dusted pink and his other arm was wrapped around himself comfortingly. The drops that rained down on his lithe shoulders refracted, colliding against the dark tile backdrop behind him. He was so fair that he looked almost angelic, aside from the tinged pigment in his cheeks.

To my own awe, he was embarrassed, and that was truly beautiful.

This wasn't the first time I had thought that either, the more I studied him. It just took me too long to realize it before because I was blinded by my own hatred towards him.

Even the remote  _ thought _ that I had ever felt that way about the person standing in front of me made me wince physically. It honestly  _ hurt _ to even recall those unadulterated emotions. As I looked at him, it was as if I had been living an entirely different life up until now.

The regret from my memories must have shown on my face, because he turned to me with another concerned expression. This one, slightly more defensive.

I shook my head, as if telling him my despondency weren’t aimed at him, and smiled instead. He relaxed a little.

“Before, I…” I thought carefully about my wording. “There is so much more to you that I never cared enough to learn about before, but now...now I  _ want _ to know.”

Izaya’s eyes wandered away from mine as he spoke smoothly, calmer now, and collected.

“At this rate, I can’t help but feel that you know me the most, in all honesty,” he sighed.

My eyes widened in surprise, not at all expecting him to confess yet again, something that put him in another vulnerable position.

So he trusted me, then?

“I s’pose I could say just about the same.”

I rubbed the back of my neck, feeling where the condensation of the humid air was beginning to stick to me. It was getting pretty hot in the small space with two people. Then I realized that I  _ had  _ just intruded on his shower.

I froze, demanding that my eyes weren’t to look anywhere else but his face. Not that that was any better though, since he was smiling at me. Not just any smile, but  _ that _ smile.

“I am a little hurt knowing that you’re only  _ now _ realizing how fascinating I truly am, however.” The familiar glint of mischief returned as sharp eyes met mine again. “Took you long enough.”

The playful tone I had become accustomed to had returned and I let out the sigh of relief I didn’t know I had been holding.

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t let it go to your head,” I made a waving gesture.

“What’s this?” He leaned forward. “Shizu-chan might actually have two brain cells now? Have you officially graduated from an amoeba to a diplococci? What a special occasion, we should celebrate,ne?” he sang mirthfully.

My expression scrunched in question. “Diplo-what now?”

He rolled his eyes, smiling anyway.

“Ah, and here I was hopeful, rooting for you.”

He turned back to the shower to stand under the water, running his fingers through his silky, dark locks. I stood watching him as he rinsed his hair.

I felt my presence being questioned as he turned to side-eye me over his shoulder, grinning fruitfully. He looked me up and down, from head to toe, to head again.

“W-what?”

“You’re still here, because?” he teased.

I felt my face heat up at the question, but I mentally blamed the steam anyway.

“I wasn’t sure if we were done talking…”

“Hmm…” he tapped his chin with his index finger. “For now, I suppose we are. About that matter, anyway.” His devilish smirk returned as he almost ‘ _ ah-hah’ _ ed at something. “However, since you haven’t made your leave yet, why don’t you join me?”

He stepped to the side a little, gesturing to the space he had made for me under the stream of water.

“W-what?!” I started to feel my face blister from the heat. I could no longer hide how flustered I had become at his request.

“Come now, Shizu-chan. It’s totally normal for guys to shower together...And I mean, we’ve already seen each other-”

“But this isn’t like a  _ normal _ public bath, Izaya! It’s weird for two people to share a western-style shower!” I thought of any excuse possible to save myself from further embarrassment-not that it ever worked with him.

He chuckled, “yet, here you are.”

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, not finding a response that would help me. I totally walked into that one.

I pinched the bridge of my nose with a sigh. “That’s not what I-...Look, there are  _ people _ out there, lots of them, actually, if you didn’t notice.”

“Yes, and I’m sure more than just one of them saw you walk in here. Why does it matter now?” he questioned nonchalantly.

“ _ Why does it matter _ ,” I mumbled, “it  _ matters _ because they’ll get the idea-”

I stopped myself from finishing my sentence when his eyebrow shot up, as if he were expecting what would come next.

Oh yeah, that was the whole point of this conversation.

Sighing in defeat, I stepped under the water next to him without another word. It was cramped, and kind of awkward. Even more awkward when the flea picked back up on where he left off humming as he reached for the shelf, pushing the pump of the dispenser down to release a handful of a colourful, soapy liquid.

He continued to wash his hair without a single fuck given, but I was constantly eyeing the curtain behind me, hoping no one would dare to walk in.

“You know no one is going to come in here, right? Only a  _ real _ pervert would walk in on someone who is innocently taking a shower~,” he chided, smiling to himself with his eyes closed as he lathered the shampoo in his hair. He stepped further to the side to open up the space directly under the pouring water.

After a hesitant moment, I stepped under, rewetting my hair from the pool. It had dried mostly, but I always felt like pool water left a film over my hair and body. As if on cue, he spoke up:

“Be careful about swimming in chlorine, since you bleach your hair. The high concentrations of copper compounds will turn it green.”

I stopped scrubbing to look down at him. “Huh...never knew that.”

He leaned his back up against my chest, under the water, to rinse the suds from his hair. The close contact, no matter how frequent it was becoming, always sent a wave of electricity through me.

He seemed to pay no mind as the exposed skin from his shoulders to his feet-and everywhere in between-brushed up against me.

“Flea-”

“You’ll never get completely clean if you’re still wearing these,” he said reaching behind him to poke at my thigh covered by my swim trunks. I didn’t miss the way he chuckled as he said it.

“You’re telling me you want me to take these off?” I hissed accusingly.

He faced me again; mischievous, carmine eyes doing more of the suggesting than his actual voice.

My lips pinched in a fine line. This was highly inappropriate. Especially in a public bathroom. What was he even thinking? I thought, as I was stepping out of my own shorts. I had to muster the deadpan expression, feeling my heart beat faster in my chest as the fabric slid to the floor, kicking it to the side.

The raven seemed more than pleased with the milestone.

“There,” he said with a plastic smile. “Now with the chlorine gone, you’ll be slightly less unrefined. Just a little bit, though.”

I grunted in annoyance as I got my own handful of soap to massage into my hair.

_ Just don’t think about it Shizuo, you’ve been around naked guys in an onsen before. And remember, everyone is naked under their clothes, _ I chanted mentally.

I felt like the more I tried ignoring being in the situation, the harder it was for me to think about anything  _ but _ the current circumstance with the flea. Which then led my mind to other, more recent events.

I kept my eyes closed as I rinsed the product from my hair. Maybe if I kept them shut the rest of the time I was in here, I wouldn’t be tempted to...look at him.

It seriously didn’t help how frequently he kept bumping into me. His smooth skin felt hot and slick every time a limb would brush against mine.

_ Don’t think about it, don’t think about it, don’t think about it. And don’t open your eyes. _

I tried thinking of boring things, of sad things, of gross things, but nothing worked. Somehow, no matter what I thought about, the louse managed to worm his way into my thoughts.

Something clattered to the ground once gain, but I didn’t dare look, for who knew what might appear if I did. From what it sounded like, it was the other soap dispenser.

Did he really just?

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I mumbled to myself.

“For the record,” I heard him reappear, standing straight again, “I did not intentionally drop the soap.”

“Uh-huh.”

When I felt it was safe to peak just for a second to get another handful of conditioner, I wiped the water out of my face, only to be greeted with the flea using his hand to rub himself down with bubbles.

“Fuck, why did I agree to this,” I seethed,looking away.

“Shizu-chan is such a prude. Who would have thought after last night he’d still be too shy to be naked around me,” he said in a disappointed tone. “This is kind of romantic in a way though, don’t you think? Like another bonding exercise,” he joked in a smooth tone.

That time I did look at him, right in the eye with skepticism. “That’s what you think this is? Bonding?”

He stopped lathering his arm for a second to shrug. “Is it not?”

“It’s not romantic,” I said flatly, looking away again.

“You blushing like that makes me think it is~.”

“I-I am not!”

“Sure you aren’t.”

“Well I’m not,  _ for the reccord.” _

“Shizuo? Is that you in there?” The familiar, usually cheerful tone of our bespectacled friend, sounded more surprised and curious than he ought to be when he spoke up, shadow looming outside the curtain. “Who are you talking to?”

My heart stopped and my stomach dropped in panic. I looked next to me, meeting an equally shocked expression. I immediately put myself as a barrier between the curtain and the flea.

“Uh, y-yeah, it’s me...I’m just…”

I looked back down at Izaya who was poking his head out behind me for an answer. I bared my teeth in a silent growl as he fought back from chuckling.

_ I swear if you even make a peep _ , I threatened with a stern look.

“I’m just-”

As if he was trying to start shit on purpose, he pressed himself against me, wrapping his arms around my waist, hands hanging below my navel. I took a noticeably loud breath in, having to bite my tongue from ripping him a new one...Oh, he’d get it after this.

“Just trying to figure out what to text Kasuka later.”

“Your brother?” the quack asked quizzically.

“Nn-yeah,” I stifled, as I felt the deja vu of Izaya’s hands sinking lower around my hips, closer to more sensitive areas. I felt his fingertips brush the skin on purpose. My hands immediately went up to brace myself against the sides of the stall, causing a loud  _ thud. _

_ WHAT WAS THIS BASTARD’S PROBLEM?! _

“Shizuo, are you okay?” At first he sounded worried, but then that turned around instantly to a very much uncalled for, teasing remark. “Or did I interrupt something? Kadota said you had something urgent to-”

“No!” I growled boisterously. I was sure everyone else in the entire locker room had heard me by now.

My body lit up at the perverted comment and I could see the raven clap a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing out loud. His shoulders trembled as if he would blow any moment.

I glared at him and then glared at the fabric protecting our friend from being strangled.

“Alright, if you say so,” he said in a suspicious, sing-song tune. “Anyway, I’m just looking for Izaya. Have you seen him?”

I held another threatening stare with the man in question.

“Haven’t seen him.” I snapped, quieter this time.

“Ah, okay then.”

We were silent as both of our gazes followed the silhouette outside disappear as he walked away without further question. I eased the tension in my body ever so slightly, but the raven snickering next to me caused me to clench my fists as I turned to face him.

“You,” I breathed ominously.

He put his hands up in surrender, grinning nonetheless.

“Oh, and Shizuo-”

I heard the  _ zing _ of the curtain open from behind me, making me step forward to press my body entirely against Izaya, sandwiching him between me in the wall to hide him. Both of our breaths hitched as we froze in place.

I sent the most intense death glare over my shoulder to Shinra who had poked his head through the small gap, smiling of fucking course, oblivious to our current disposition.

“Shinra-!”

“If you do see Izaya, tell him that we’ll meet up with him later. That’s all!”

He closed the fabric again behind him, but I didn’t look away from where he had intruded.

It wasn’t until I felt the body shift under me, did I look back down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think of the new content? I hope you all enjoyed it.  
> Up until this point we've mostly seen fluff between these two, so what do ya say we shake things up a bit? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)  
> I'd really appreciate it you left feedback on this chapter. I really wanna know what you guys think thus far!  
> Anyway, thank you all or your comments, kudos and support as always <3 Until next time~
> 
> (Oh! And before I forget: I JUST now figured out how to respond to people's comments on here lmao XD so I'll try to respond to you all individually if I can!)


	34. Chapter 34

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, because of all the positive feedback I got earlier, I DID end up finishing this one in just one day!!!!  
> LET'S HOPE I CAN KEEP THIS UP! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> Also, I had a couple people ask if Shinra saw Izaya in the shower with Shizuo...The answer is....  
> ...  
> ...  
> ...  
> In 2 chapters from now ;)  
> E N J O Y!

_ Izaya _

 

My heart beat rapidly by some nonsensical cause, as I felt myself being crushed between too-cool tile and unnaturally boiling body heat.

“Shinra!” the being growled, and I felt the rumble through my bones.

“If you do see Izaya, tell him we’ll meet up with him later. That’s all!”

I barely heard the words in intervals, amidst the loud pounding in my head and ringing in my ears.

My body felt too hot.

When the third party had walked away, I managed to shift just enough for the other to tense again, snapping out of it’s daze. I met golden, smoldering, predator-like eyes, ready to pounce on it’s prey.

“You,” the warm breath greeted my skin at an uncomfortably close proximity. His thumb lifted my chin to meet his overpowering gaze.

“Me,” I managed to groan as he continued to grind me into the wall like the idiotic beast he was. I smirked ruefully anyway, even if it meant my body be embedded into the neatly aligned ceramic forever.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t smash your body into this wall.” His voice was unexpectedly soft, but all the more promising.

“Sounds kinda kinky,” I teased, as I managed to move one of the hands that had been pinned behind me to hold onto the hip that jutted out into my stomach. “If I didn’t know you any better, I’d think you were serious,” I lied. I knew he was serious.

His brow twitched in annoyance and the vein in his temple was protruding like it normally did when I pissed him off.

_ That’s right you monster. I can’t have you being the one to console me. _

He took a deep breath in and out, hunched over to stand eye-level with me.

“You just don’t get it, do you?”

The hand currently pressed on his side was lifted up above my head, held in the vice grip of his palm effortlessly; the other, still uselessly stuck behind my back.

The mantra in my brain chanted over and over not to let my body give into the adrenaline that spiked my blood pressure every time I found myself in one of these peculiar situations. I wouldn't allow the closeness of his body get to me like it usually did. Not this time. That would ruin any sort of control I had left.

“You talk a big game. But you dunno when to quit, do you, flea?” His hand squeezed tighter against my wrist.

_ That’s right. Go berserk like you’re meant to. _

I couldn’t take any more of this push and pull of emotions. After seeing the way those girls acted around him, it was clear that I couldn’t provide that epitome of appeal.

Not just once did I almost confess something, but  _ twice _ today, I almost let my pent up feelings spill. It was disgusting, letting him see me like that. What was worse, is that I had developed some sort of dependency on him as well. I was too used to that soft tone, too used to that touch, and too used to those eyes looking at me in a hundred different ways. The only thing he should be apologizing for is for causing my inner turmoil.

I hated that verity of those endearing words. Ones that should never have been spoken to me in the first place. He didn't have a right to. I had to restrain the flood of emotions as he said them, conscious of the fact that he had never spoken to anyone else in his entire life like the way he did to me.

But it was all temporary. It was all in the moment. Shizuo always owned up to things if it meant finding the quickest solution to get over his mistake. To sweep whatever misfortune he had upturned in chaos under the rug and forget it ever happened.

I had almost fallen for it too. I had felt weak, hearing his confession. Like it was almost wholehearted and sincere.

I hated myself for wanting to cling onto every unfaltering word that seeped from those lips. I hated myself for wanting to believe that things could be this way, but he said it himself; I was the same then as I am now. He didn't see me as any different, aside from managing to stay relatively civil around me. The reason he wanted to know more, was probably so that he didn't blindly walk around destroying what was left of my ego.

I felt the backhanded realization at the thought, but it only put more fuel to the fire. I just had to act like I had been before up until this point. No matter what the cost.

The inevitable of him being aware of my sexual attraction to him for years had already manifested. So what if he was physically attractive? Everyone thought that. I was sure even blind people would think it if they heard how low and seductive that voice could be in their ear during intimate moments.

It didn’t matter how often I spent my days watching and researching him throughout our years of school together. It didn’t matter how close I got with the intention of pissing him off. It didn’t matter how barbaric his protozoan brain could be at times nor how unhealthily captivating I found it and craved more. None of that mattered.

If I stopped everything right now and walked away, I could say the sum of it all till this point had been a complete lie. That I was in on the gambling pool of how long it would take to seduce him into sleeping with me. Yeah, that would really rile him up. He’d believe it too.

I thought back to how empathetic and compassionate he looked as he was expressing genuine kindness. It tugged on my heartstrings more than I’d like to admit.

They were lies, I told myself. He wasn't trying to mend things. No amount of encouraging pep talks nor hugs would make up for the fact that I was fighting for myself here. He may be sympathetic, not because he’s sorry, but because he  _ feels _ sorry. For me. Because I had made myself weak in front of him. I wasn’t worth the trouble anymore. There was no thrill in combat if your opponent could be easily defeated.

After all the time I spent concerning myself when I’d get bored with him, who would have guessed he would beat me to it.

“Hey, I’m talkin’ to you!”

I felt myself being shook by the shoulders, not processing a single word he had been spitting at me.

I lolled my head to the side, wearing an apathetic expression.

“Shizu-chan.”

He stopped when he heard his name, and I didn’t bother to look up as I continued.

“It’s time I be honest with you about something.”

His grip relaxed ever so slightly and he waited for an explanation.

“This whole thing. Everything leading up until this point,” I met his gaze, “has been a joke.”

I didn't miss how caramel eyes widened for a fraction of a second.

“Not a single thing I’ve told you since we started rooming together has been true. Everything I’ve said has been a lie.”

I watched him scrutinize me as he processed the information. His brows furrowed in confusion, not knowing what suddenly brought on my change in demeanor.

“What?” he finally managed to say, when he found his breath again.

“I’ve been lying to you...About everything, actually.”

He still wasn’t getting it.

“Ever since the beginning, all I’ve thought about was how I wanted to see the look on your face when I finally told you this. I had to build up to it, of course.”

I felt a forced grin creep on my face as I went on.

“Right now, seeing you like this. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

I felt a blow to the chest as the words rolled off my tongue, despite him having not moved from the place he stood. His brows knit tighter as he stared at me in disbelief.

“I was going to wait until the end of the trip, but I got impatient, and things were getting boring,” I lied. “I had to keep pretending to be the ‘flea’ you wanted me to be. You molded me into the Izaya you wanted to see change,” I smirked. “Well you didn’t.”

His hands let go of me and he stepped back, the look of disgust on his features.

“Whatever you’re goin’ on about flea, just stop,” he looked at me with stone cold eyes. “That’s enough.”

“I’ll admit you were right about one thing, though. I haven’t changed. Not then, and not now. I’m the same me, and always will be.”

“That’s enough, Izaya,” he growled at the back of his throat as his body started to tremble. His eyes were dark, like I had never seen them before.

“I won’t stop. Not now, not ever. My work is never complete. Not until you either fall beneath me, or become the true monster you were meant to be,” I said sternly, narrowing my gaze. “That was the whole point of this...It’s a shame I got tired before I could see you crumble more than you are now.”

“You’re lying!”

“I’ve  _ been _ lying, Shizuo!” I strained, feeling the wind knocked out of me.

_ No, this is what I wanted. What I needed. _

He took a step back, eyes like daggers, piercing into my soul and the heart I had once again protected with a ice cold barrier. As long as I keep up like this, things will go back to the way they were and I’ll never have to worry about falling behind again.

“I don’t believe you,” he said flatly, emotionlessly.

I was taken aback, not predicting this part of the reaction.

“Good. You never should have believed me in the first place. Your delinquency is your own fault.”

Without another word and without a care, he walked straight out of the shower, not bothering to grab a towel, nor the shorts he had previously been wearing. From what I could see large gawking eyes stared as he stormed away, then trailing behind to meet my own gaze.

Good.

I pulled the curtain back again to stand under the water. I waited about 15 minutes until I knew he was gone. He probably walked right out of the locker room naked for all I cared, but I didn’t want to risk leaving at the same time.

When my fingers and toes had pruned to the point where they were swollen from all the water absorption, I grabbed my towel from the hook and wrapped it around my waist. The rest of the men in the room didn’t bother to hide their glances as I found my locker and began to dress myself.

As I pulled my briefs up under my towel I thought about where he had probably run off to...I only guessed because I didn’t want to cross him. I could only conclude that he had probably left to smoke an entire pack of cigarettes, freezing outside in the cold with his hair still wet. Not that it was any of my concern.

I dropped my towel, rummaging through my clothes for my jeans. It was as I was buckling my belt did I feel the set of eyes from someone observing me with the intention of me noticing. I stopped, looking over to the other gentleman who was leaning against the wall of lockers with his arms crossed, expectantly. He wore nothing, aside from the towel hanging low around his waist.

I simply raised my brow as I studied him.

He was young and in his early twenties. His dark brown hair was wet and slicked back, and I noticed the sides were shaved-one of the more trendy haircuts nowadays that the ‘bad boys’ would sport. He had warm, brown eyes and well groomed eyebrows, also complimented by the clean cut of his stubbly facial hair that was angled tightly along his jaw with a straight razor. His body was nothing less of impressive from the look of his build and noticeable muscle under the slight tan of his skin. He stood about 5’11, which was a few inches taller than me. His shoulders were broad and masculine though, making him appear bigger than he was. Overall, to common eye, he would be considered attractive.

I gave him a disinterested look, not bothering to initiate conversation, though I was sure that was his goal.

_ Stare all you want. So is everyone else. _

It was as I was grabbing my socks and shoes from my locker, to my dismay, did he clear his throat.

I didn’t bother to look at him, not feeling like giving him my time of day.

“So was that a little breakup back there?” He asked coolly. His voice was deep, but not like Shizu-chan’s. This man’s voice was smooth and polished, instead of the usual raspy threats I was used to from smoking.

I didn’t bat an eye at the comment, but I felt the need to clear the air.

“Break up? More like a one night stand,” I said, unwavering. “Some people just get too attached.”

He tsked and shook his head. “I hear that.”

Great, now a playboy was trying to reconcile with me. This couldn't get any better, I groaned mentally.

“It was obvious you weren’t interested. ‘Guy’s probably too dense to get it...He really doesn’t look the type, though, if you ask me.” He sent me a wide smirk. “Maybe you turned him.” 

He opened one of the lockers a couple columns down and grabbed his own things. When I saw the towel drop I didn’t let it phase me. I continued looking him dead in the eye wearing my usual plastic smile.

“At first glance you wouldn’t seem like the type either, ne? Funny how things work,” I said condescendingly, but he didn’t buy it. The comment irked me, however, I didn’t let it show.

He simply shrugged, giving me a knowing smirk. “I would say, ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’, but then I’d be quite the hypocrite,” he blatantly looked me up and down, seeing that I was only dressed in low riding jeans. “Wouldn't I?”

I chuckled at the stupidity of this human. “Well, at least you’re being honest with yourself,” I said nonchalantly, sticking my hands through the sleeves of my pullover.

He turned his attention back to his own locker and began to dress himself, still proceeding to carry on the pointless conversation. He was trying to figure me out, but it wasn’t like anything could be accomplished from that.

“I can see when a man has a lot going for him, I can tell you that much.”

Was this guy for real? Did he really think he could seduce me with such mediocre flirting? Even protozoan Shizuo was better than-

I had to stop myself from finishing that thought. I needed to stop comparing him to this man.

“I can’t tell you you’re wrong,” I smirked, then pulled my knitted top over my head. “Though, I’m flattered you think so highly of me,” I reprimanded.

“I like a guy with confidence, is all. And you seem like you know how to play the field,” he responded as if he were taking notes.

“Heh,” I couldn’t help but scoff. This guy was truly hopeless. The only thing he had going for him was his good looks and hygiene. I mused him anyway. “I’m moved by your confession. Too bad for you, I’m not in the market,” I smirked, closing my locker.

He seemed to find that response amusing and chuckled. “Hey, I’m simply calling it like I see it.” He continued in a more serious tone. “I wouldn’t stick around that blonde guy though, even if he tries coming back. The last thing you want is some clingy guy weighing you down, ya know?”

I had to stop myself from snorting at the comment. _No shit, really?_ _Did he even hear himself??_

“Ah, thank you for your concern, but that really is none of your business.”

I knew the blonde was clingy, no doubt about it. I wasn’t defending him, I told myself, I simply wanted to conceal my private life from nosy, thirsty men. It would be a lie to say that I wasn’t a little bit offended by the assumption that I was ‘easy’, but I had to keep up the facade.

I finished toeing my shoes on and straightened to look at him. I wasn’t particularly interested in this human, but I could tell he’d be a hard flea to shake.

_ Dammit, why’d I have to put it that way. _

“How about this, Mr…?”

“Hideki Amano.”

“Alright, Amano-san. Since you’re so sincere about becoming ‘friends’, I’ll accept your number. However, it’s up to me whether or not I contact you.”

He smiled as if he really thought he had successfully persuaded me. I was sure he didn’t realize just how much I wanted him out of my hair...Then again, I’d keep the number just in case I needed to make use of him as a future pawn.

He rummaged through his bag for a pen and paper, using the door of his locker as a surface to write on. He wrote the kanji of his name for me too, as if he’d expect me to treasure the scrap long term.

“And I didn’t catch your name. You are?”

“Izaya Orihara.”

He brought a hand to his chin in thought, studying the sound. Not the first time for that, either.

“That’s a new one. Can’t say I’ve heard of anyone with a name like that.”

“I’m truly unique in every way,” I said picking my own back up. “Take care, Amano-san,” I waved. “Ja ne~.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oH NO ANOTHER NEW PERSON - I know that's what you're thinking, but I promise, just like those other girls he is important in the progression of this story....I had been planning this out for a while, and finally made it fit in-which I'm stoked about, because why the hell not stir the pot and start up some much needed drama ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ  
> Also, I have a feeling no one saw this chapter coming. Like my friends who usually revise these before I publish them were super (pleasantly) surprised with the plot twist! And I REALLY enjoyed writing Izaya's inner turmoil and war with the emotions he claims not to have. I was really inspired to write him in this state after rereading one of my ultimate, favourite Shizaya fics ever...BOY DID IT BRING BACK THE FEELS.  
> Alas, I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their day, or night, or afternoon-wherever you are!  
> As always, thank you for all the kudos and comments and the rest of your support <3 I don't say it often enough, but each and every one of you is another reason for me to get up in the morning :)  
> Until next time~


	35. Chapter 35

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, I hope you are all doing well for the holidays!  
> I want to thank you for the amount of positive feedback I received from my last two posts! I was actually really happy to be yelled at for spoiling the fluffy mood because Izaya's an asshole, lol. But I'm really glad that that was how things ended up playing out. I feel like it's been a while since we've seen that side of him, and I just had to bring him back >_>  
> I also figured out how to respond to comments, so I tried going back and thanking those who left lengthy ones!! It was really motivating to hear back from everybody, and I'm trying to produce chapters faster.  
> As for this update, one of our other key characters who hasn't gotten the spotlight yet appears, and I had SO much fun writing her!! I can't wait to write Shizuo's POV after the next chapter, since I'm alternating back and forth...While these two are separated for a while, it will be interesting to see how our protagonists deal with their predicaments.  
> Without further ado, I hope you all enjoy this gift for whatever holiday you celebrate~

_ Shizuo _

_ Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill.  _ The only perpetual utterance I could manage to rationalize from the events that had occurred.

My hands had been shaking as I dressed myself. To the point where I couldn't bother fumbling amidst the row of buttons on my jacket, knowing all too well, that it would be torn to shreds if I wasted any more of my time in the same breathing space as him. I only saw red; oblivious to the uneasy stares I was sure I had attracted during my outburst.

My stomach was twisting in the most amazing of Celtic knots, by the feel of it. I thought I’d be sick at any moment as I stormed out the door into the hallway.

_ Should have seen it coming. Should never have trusted him. _

My fists clinched, taking all the will and strength I could muster into not punching an ugly hole into the pristine and elegant walls.

It felt like my chest had been torn open, ripping out my vital organs, constricting me with my own flesh. My blood still ran cold, and my heart was drumming so rigorously, it ached with every pulse. My limbs felt weak, as if they would give out any second. It was all I could manage to walk one foot after another.

I had tried running, but vertigo was flooding my vision, making my head spin. There was a wetness in my eyes, but I just blinked it away. Never had I felt so overwhelmed with anger, with sadness and betrayal. I felt lost. Empty.

It was as if I had been hollowed out but those cutting words, leaving only a fractured shell behind.

_ Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill. _ The incessant mantra continued in attempts to block the echoing words in my skull that had somehow reached the core of my heart.

“ _ Fuck,” _ I cursed, but the ragged sound was broken behind the strain of emotions I tried my best to contain.

I needed to escape. To go somewhere quiet and alone, without the worry of being interrupted.

Unknowingly, my trembling fingers had already reached into my breast pocket for a smoke. I placed the slender barrel between my lips before the glass doors to the outside even opened.

The first breath was deep, in haste and craving. My lungs burned at the much needed drag. I closed my eyes counting down from ten, like Kasuka and my mom always told me to do whenever things went to shit. Now, with my fingers occupied and my withdrawal ebbing, I could try to clear my head…

…

…

…

…

...

_ Fuck it. _

My anger would not subside. My go-to wouldn't work this time around, and my body wouldn't unshackle the tension that left my muscles twitching with the need to crush metal. I was too close to snapping.

Frankly, I was surprised I had even succeeded in making it out of the building without it looking like a tornado had passed in my wake. Had I not been in such a shitty mood, I’d have patted myself on the back for it. Kasuka would have been elated knowing that I held my temper for that long. It was truly record breaking.

But that didn't dissipate the fact that it wasn't over yet. I could stand outside in the cold for hours until my body went numb, but I'd still have to go inside eventually. I'd still have to face him.

Another cigarette was in order, as the current one was leaving an ashy taste on my pallet. I stubbed it out in the sand of the ashtray, bringing a second one to my lips and lighting up. This time I forced myself to breathe steadily.

Mixed between the buzz of nicotine in my system and the rush of adrenaline that hadn't quite eased away, I  _ did  _ manage to sit down. I raked my hands subconsciously through my hair, only stopping to feel the ice crystals forming from its dampness.

Shinra would give me shit for it later, I was sure, if I managed to catch a cold from being in subzero weather with wet hair. Though, I guaranteed he would prefer that over treating all four broken limbs of his classmate, at any rate.

_ That rat bastard. _

Whether I meant Shina or Izaya at that moment, I couldn't decide.  _ Everyone  _ was pissing me off.

I only managed to lift my head to gaze sullenly into the distance.

I had gotten used to the sun setting early in the day. It was only around 4pm, but the flush of various oranges behind the chains of mountains were beginning to paint the afternoon skies with its daily cycle of vibrant brilliancy. I was so accustomed to seeing skyscrapers and concrete blocking my view, the image of nature’s uncharted beauty left me breathless.

Ever so slowly did I start to feel my heart rate return to a regular pace. My body had loosened up, finally finding something to distract itself with.

I propped my chin with the hand that had been laying lamely across my lap. I let my cigarette hang between chapped lips as I continued to watch the sun go down.

I didn't bother to check my phone to see how long it took as I sat, lost in thought, until it was finally dark out.

And I was freezing.

My joints cracked and I stood, having literally been frozen in place for thirty minutes...or was it an hour?

I sighed as I decided to face the inevitable and head towards the entrance.

I was greeted by a smoldering heat that burned my nose and cheeks as soon as I walked through the double, automatic glass doors. My skin was stinging more than it should have, and I cupped my own frostbitten hands over my face to protect it from the sweltering warmth. I was almost tempted to walk right back out the door.

“ _ Senpai _ .”

Had it been any other school day, hearing the endearing label used by the frail voice of a woman, I wouldn’t have batted an eye. I could count on one hand, how many times a girl had addressed me with anything more than a stuttering, “H-Heiwajima-san”, in fear of my reputation. That was, when they were forced to, on any account. People simply did not approach me with such.

Needless to say, I was used to it being a special name given to special someone with a special meaning. I had gotten over that shit a long time ago.

I heard the name tossed back and forth between both the male and female population of my peers. I had learned over the years to just tune it out and go about my day. And I almost did, except this particular accent had my ear craning in its direction.

“Senpai,” she repeated again, and I looked over my shoulder.

As expected, the shorter blonde was standing a few feet away, dressed in a warm purple coat that brought out the unheard of violet in her alluring, yet apathetic stare. She wore a black hat and grey fingerless gloves. Her fair skin was tinged pink, as if she had also just walked in from the cold.

“Vorona,” I stated as she approached me. She peered behind me, her lack of expression changed into subtle confusion for a moment before meeting my gaze impassively once again.

“Shizuo-senpai has forgotten negotiation of ‘buddy system’. I will remind it is unsafe to be by oneself in such unfavorable conditions…” She looked me up and down, analyzing my current state. “Essential for long durations.”

I small smile found its way on my lips at the concern of my kouhai.

“Ah, yeah, my bad,” I said, running a hand mindlessly through my hair, only to be caught in the knots matted by frost.

“Shizuo-senpai’s hair is damp, although outdoor climate not compatible.” Her expression scrunched in slightly more confusion. “Senpai must have saturated hair before exiting resort, but that deems problematic to health. For what cause? Uncertain of positive outcome.”

“Oh, that. I left from the pool to sit outside for...a while,” I confessed awkwardly at the memory. I turned my attention back to her before my brain let itself go down  _ that  _ unnecessary tangent again. “I guess you're right, I wasn't really thinking that I'd catch a cold at the time.”

She put a hand up. “Negative. Common myth that cold is caused by inclement weather. Fact, it is viral sickness and contagious when coming in contact with rhinovirus. Body receptivity varies. Affirmative, sickness worsens in cold environment. Immediate treatment necessary.”

I blinked a few times, not expecting the load of information. “Huh. Ya don't say...”

Shinra never bothered explaining medical stuff in detail for me. Not that I really got sick; I mostly visited him when I needed to be patched up from other injuries. Perhaps he just thought I didn't care? Or that I wouldn't be able to wrap my head around it...

“Come to think of it, I don't ever remember having a cold before...maybe when I was little?” I shrugged. “I don't usually get sick.”

“Variable that senpai has immunity to virus due to evolved genetics.”

I chuckled. “Yeah, that could be,” I agreed, thinking to myself about my  _ other _ ‘evolved’ genetics.

“Unusual height for 18 year old, Japanese male, indicates possibility. Favorable DNA,” she said looking to the side.

I rubbed the back of my neck feeling like I was starting to be looked at through a microscope. Was that...a compliment just now?

There was a bit of silence between us before she spoke up again.

“Likeliness that Shizuo-senpai is dehydrated from winter climate, possible. Excessive change in body heat increases respiratory fluid depletion. Seeing breath in cold air equals water vapor loss. Unfavorable outcome. Best decision to rehydrate and increase blood sugar levels.”

Hearing her say that reminded me to check my phone for the time. It was after 5pm now, and a fair duration had passed since my last meal. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to stop and get something.

“I didn't realize it had gotten this late,” I said, tucking my phone back in my pocket. “Say, uh...would you wanna grab something together down where the restaurants are?”

For the first time, I saw her normally stoic expression shift into something more of surprise. Her eyes widened before looking away, returning back to their usual impassive gaze. Perhaps I just hadn't noticed how cold she was, but her skin appeared slightly more pink. Maybe she was experiencing some of these symptoms she had listed herself?

_ Yeah, it would be a good idea for her to eat something too _ , I thought. Though, I myself couldn't help but look away either.

“Appropriate hour for sufficient meal is necessary. Metabolism needs replenishing for both parties. Going en masse seems least problematic. Could be considered ‘killing two birds with one stone’. Both are beneficial,” she nodded.

I guess that was just her way of accepting my invitation.

We started walking in the general direction of the food court. I really hadn't predicted running into my new acquaintance, and never in a hundred years did foresee myself asking her to dinner.

As we continued out of the lobby, my thoughts were bouncing back and forth, unsure of what sentiment to cling onto as my mind continued to race. I only knew I was livid (and a couple of other mixed emotions) before bumping into her, but now, I was at a loss of how to feel overall.

It was clear that this wasn't a frequent experience of mine, to ask just anyone to go out of their way to spend time together. Seeing as how antisocial I had become throughout my school days, I expected something more of uneasiness and worry to settle in when I wasn't around my usual safety net of friends.

I hadn’t even felt capable,  _ especially  _ when it came to asking a girl to go... _ out _ before. Though, that wasn't really what I considered this to be. There weren't any developed feelings here, in that aspect, at least. I just felt like I was constantly walking on eggshells around women. I lived every day in fear of accidentally hurting someone...Of accidentally repeating my past.

Day in, and day out, I told myself that I couldn't bother to think about what had happened those many years before. It wasn't worth it to remember; to have those memories haunt me, prolonging myself from moving forward. I had grown a lot since then, and I'd like to think I had become more responsible and mature.

Needless to say, I hadn't counted on feeling this relaxed, being in the presence of a girl I had only first spoken to in a little over a week.

I had to admit, I was both confound and impressed that she was either oblivious to the mountain of rumors about me, had been able to look past them, or in the unlikelihood, she just didn't care. Despite her socially awkwardness-though, I was certainly one to talk-she seemed genuinely polite. Not the kind of fake polite that others used around me to avoid getting on my bad side. This was something more authentic.

As I pondered our previous interactions, each time she seemed to find me was when I was facing some sort of dilemma. She repeatedly found me outside when I was alone and frustrated, but never seemed to think much of it. No matter the circumstance, she had no problems consulting me...It was feasible that she had a knack for telling these kinds of things. Vorona was pretty observant, as it was.

My line of sight shifted from ahead, down to my side where we walked in step, silently together. She didn't seem to notice as I studied her, but I made sure not to stare, not wanting to give her the wrong idea. I was honestly just relieved to be in her company. There was a warm feeling that swelled in my chest at the regard of making a new friend in who knew how many years.

But how would I thank her for it? Would she know what I meant, or was that weird? How did guys thank girls for their kindness without it sounding like they were insinuating something else? Although, since she was the literal type, maybe she wouldn't come to any outlandish conclusions.

But it wasn't like there was anything between us, so maybe I was just overthinking things. She was an understanding person, from what I gathered in our brief conversations, so I really wouldn't have anything to lose.

“Say, Vorona-”

“Shizuo! And...Vorona-chan?”

Our attention led us to the familiar voice of the only other female that seemed comfortable enough to approach me, using my first name.

“Erika?” We said in unison, although to my surprise, the blonde addressed her with the formal suffix after her name.

The brunette bounced over to us, cheerful as ever, and slightly out of breath. She had run ahead of the rest of her gang, albeit two of which were missing.

“I didn't know you guys knew each other?”

I looked between the two females, confused  _ myself, _ as to how these two entirely clashing personalities were close enough to be on a first name basis.

“Vorona and I speak...occasionally,” I stated, fumbling for the appropriate word.

“Oh, well that's great! I’m glad to see her hanging out with someone trustworthy like you, Shizuo.” She beamed a proud smile. “I never know what she does when she leaves the room. I’m always worried that when she goes off by herself, some perv might try to make a pass at her,” she winked. “Though, I doubt they’d win.”

“Wait...room?” I asked, perplexed, ignoring the tail end of the comment, though I couldn't say that it didn't bother me.

Erika wore a more thoughtful expression. “Well, yeah. She and I are roommates,” she said, dropping the other matter.

Now that was even more of a shock.

“Oh,” was all I could respond with.

She turned happily back toward her roommate. “I’m surprised to see you escorting such a cute girl around, Shizuo,” she teased, waggling her eyebrows. “Just keep in mind, she’s a minor~.”

“Erika-”

“Not that I ever doubted you, of course!”

“Yo, Shizuo, and...Friend?” Kadota said from behind her, as the rest of her group approached us.

“Eeeehh? Shizuo is walking around with  _ her?”  _ Yumasaki called over his shoulder, stopping shortly behind him. Next to him, Togusa was scratching his head looking equally as surprised.

“This is my roommate, Dotachin, remember?”

“Yeah,” the other male said, scratching his head through his beanie. “Just kind of unexpected to see them together.” His brown eyes met mine in confusion...Well, not confusion, but more like ‘ _ what the fuck, dude?’ _

“Have you two always been…close?” The guy with the shaggy hair spoke up next to the other three.

Why the hell did it sound like he was implying something?

“We ran into each other,” I said quickly, stiffening.

I hated being the center of attention like this, where people would randomly start assuming things. It could only end badly.

“Yo, man, why does it look like your hair has icicles on it?” my closer of the four friends chuckled, changing the subject, as he pointed above my head.

Nevermind, this was probably worse.

“I-”

“Senpai left the pool to go outside. Confusion still remains to logic. Positive result from experiment is nil. Hypothesis, other matter is present,” Vorona said, filling in for me.

Agh, great. I really dug myself into this one, didn't I?

“I went out for a smoke…” I grumbled, asserting my reasoning-which was believable enough.

_ I seriously needed a way out of this before a certain someone gets brought up _ ...

“Oh, is that where you went? We were wondering. We thought you might have left with Iza-”

As if she read my thoughts exactly, she cut off when my expression immediately darkened. Somehow they knew something, and I didn't like the thought of it.

“I left, and then we met up, and now we’re going to dinner, so…” I avoided the confused stares I received from the others and looked at down at Vorona with determination.

It was a marvel that she managed to understand the telepathic message.

“Senpai’s water vapor loss raises threat for dehydration. Fluid and sugar consumption necessary to counteract. Time is valuable. Please excuse.”

I felt the gentle, gloved touch of another hand meet mine as the shorter blonde pulled us away from the commotion. I merely followed, amazed by the undeceiving amount of strength behind that small frame. I was glad to oblige though, wanting to escape any other unnecessary topics that could potentially arise during our confrontation.

“Oh, okay then,” the surprised voice of the other girl said behind us as we made our leave.

“I guess we’ll see you later,” someone else added, but I didn't bother looking back.

When we had walked a far enough distance away and rounded a corner, she came to a halt, dropping the warmth from my hand. She wore the same impassive look I had grown familiar to, but her eyes seemed more sensitive when they met mine.

“Shizuo-senpai has other reasoning behind actions. I'll accept it. Answer to discuss is open, you decide.”

I blinked a few times, not expecting to hear words of comfort-in her own way, of course. She was blunt as she was receptive, but her response was genuine, and I could tell that.

I knew in the back of my mind, out of everyone I talked to, there were matters I simply could not discuss with too familiar ears. I was put off more by discussing things like feelings and emotions with people I saw every hour of every day. I needed that barrier. Close, but not too close. It may as well be a good thing to find a certain someone to share those select moods with, but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

Her offer was much appreciated, however I could not bear a new friend with all of my burdens.

“I appreciate you saying this, but things are really okay. I just need to figure things out.”

“Understandable, it is atypical in Japanese custom to seek help in situation of conflict.” She nodded, “in my country, we say, ‘Бери́сь дру́жно, не бу́дет гру́зно’. Translation, ‘many hands makes light work’. Applies to many cases. Probability for positive outcome most definite. The option stands.”

It took a moment, but I couldn't help but relax, letting a small smile make its way across my lips as I understood what she had meant.

“Alright.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First note: I found that Russian proverb online and the literal translation was: 'Take hold of it together, it won't feel heavy'. I thought that Vorona might say of that nature when consoling someone. However, I am not a Russian speaker, so if anyone out there sees any mistake, PLEASE let me know what the saying is and I'll correct it!!  
> I'm glad that the bomb has dropped that Vorona and Erika are roommates...I'm sure you all know what could possibly come of that-having an otaku for a roommate that won't shut up about shipping her friends together...She probably knows more about Shizuo than she leads on, and I think he is starting to realize this now too ;)  
> Two chapters from now will reveal their juicy dinner conversation together, so stay tuned!  
> As always, thank you for the kudos and comments. They are very appreciated <3 Until next time~


	36. Chapter 36

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's been a while, but I promise it's been worth it. There was so much I wanted to include in this chapter since it digs deep into Izaya's heart. This chapter is probably the turning point of the fic and I wanted it to be perfect. So enjoy the extra long, 8,326 words.
> 
> P.S. This chapter sounds the best when listening to DRRR!!'s "Their Aspirations", "The Girl in the Drawing," "Bottled Angel", "Hohoemi no Kage", "Kyuujistu no Shifuku", "The Sought-after Extraordinary" and "The Girl in the Drawing" in the background. I've been listening to the OST nonstop and it's giving me such heavy feels for this series oml.

_ Izaya _

“Ah, how petty.”

I let my hand drop from the metal handle as I shut the door behind me with a resound  _ click _ . I reached over to switch the light on, not quite sure what to expect.

The room looked just as it had been left hours ago. It didn’t seem like anything had been touched at all, since this morning.

I still kept my senses on high alert, not putting it past him to randomly be hiding in the dark. I could only imagine him lurking in the shadows, ready to jump out and latch those monstrous paws around my throat in a vice grip at any moment. At this rate, I was sure I well deserved it.

I moved away from the door, still suspicious of any possible traps. I cleared the bathroom first, finding nothing out of the ordinary. The closet was next. I knew he wouldn’t be able to fit in such tight quarters, but for the peace of mind, I checked anyway. Nothing but clothes, as expected.

I felt my shoulders slump a little at the vacancy.

“How petty…” I muttered again.

I made my way over to the bed at the far end of the spacious room; the one that hadn’t been touched in days, the crisp sheets still neatly folded from its emptiness.

_ No, this is what I wanted…What I needed. _

It was petty of me to even think that he would come back. To believe that he might actually have come here to recuperate from the blow I had given him in the locker room…

_ Hm, definitely shouldn’t have worded it like that. _ I smiled at my own dismal. The thought still stung.

I had hoped for one of two things. The first being that he had come back to the room, waiting for me to return, so he could actually attempt to kill me off this time. The second was that he had come back and packed his bags, leaving me altogether. That would be the final nail in the coffin.

I flopped back on the bed to stare blankly at the ceiling. Our conversation replayed in my head:

_ ‘I had to keep pretending to be the ‘flea’ you wanted me to be.’ _

_ ‘You molded me into the Izaya you wanted to see change.’ _

_ ‘That’s enough.’ _

_ ‘I won’t stop. Not now, not ever.’ _

_ ‘My work is never complete. Not until you either fall beneath me, or become the true monster you were meant to be.’ _

_ ‘It’s a shame I got tired before I could see you crumble more than you are now.’ _

_ ‘You’re lying!’ _

I felt a twitch at my lips. There was a tug at my cheek, the kind that cramped at the demple. I aimlessly brought my fingers up to my mouth,   _ just  _ to be sure, but-

_ Ah, yes. Of course I was smiling. I always did in cases like these… _

I was reminded of the time I was in primary school. I was the archetype of kid who would rip their band-aids off, wearing nothing but a smirk around the other students after returning from the nurse's office. When I fell down, I didn’t cry, I got up. When I managed to get a deep papercut, I would smile at the fine line that looked promising enough to bleed, but never came. I would get eyed down for the abnormal behavior, but I was sure the adults knew that it was too soon to tell what type of student I would grow to be. Therefore, they left me alone for the most part, but I liked to keep them on their toes whenever I knew I was being monitored. These were some of the beginning stages of my transitioning into my second and third years.

School continued, and I found that I enjoyed spending a majority of my time isolated from the rest of the class. Even if there was a group assignment given, I would request to work on it as an individual project every time. Perhaps it was because of the impeccable grades I received, that after a while, all of my instructors knew to let me work by myself on essentially everything. It perceived to work best and no one questioned it. I also spent a majority of my free time reading, always carrying a new book with me each day. They probably figured I was the next kid genius or prodigy, and decided to let me do as I pleased.

The following years I was bullied. It started over the most imbecilic of things. The more thicker-skulled of my classmates were of course jealous of my pristine grades, attendance and unquestionably, my intelligence. Therefore, I honed these skills and used them to my advantage. I had learned to fight back with my own sharp tongue and clever, yet peculiar vocabulary for a boy at the mere age of nine years old.

However, as I grew, I vividly remembered how I was thrown against lockers and walls. I never let it stop me and certainly never backed down. Instead, I would challenge my persecutors likewise, by cracking up maniacally in their faces for such cliché behavior only seen in anime, as if that was the best they could really do. At that age, anyone who laughed in the face of violence was an obvious red flag and not to be messed with. Even the verbal abuse soon came to a halt when I learned I could talk my way out of just about any situation. I had gained the attention of many onlookers during these incidents, peers and staff alike, and by then, the administrators knew all too well that I were poles apart from the rest of the student body.

Despite the water that threatened the corners of my eyes at times in the beginning, I realized that it didn’t matter how much the physical injury or verbal asperse stung; I needed to instill some kind of fear that I, Orihara Izaya, was not weak.

I took it upon myself to learn various arts of self defense. I studied the human body and learned about each and every fragile nerve and muscle as if it were a mandatory assignment from school. It didn't take long for my sponge-like brain to absorb all of the contents I read as I flipped through stacks upon stacks of books I collected from the library when I stayed after school. Memorizing wasn't the issue, though, that was the simple part. Putting my knowledge to the test would be the real challenge, mostly because of my petite size.

After a while had passed as I began practicing these different styles of combat, I found the right balance using my lithe proportions to my advantage. Soon enough, I came to learn that I was exceptionally quick on my feet and equally as perceptive; dodging was indeed, a strong point of mine, as well as my speed. It however, wasn't exactly the upper hand I needed to actually  _ win _ the fight. So after briefing over my best choice in weapons, I took an interest in knife play, and that seemed to do the trick. The time came where I could finally consider myself a formidable opponent, both physically and intellectually.

As the seasons changed and the school years passed, it was only natural that I had become numb to nearly everything. Even up until my first day of middle school, I hadn’t  _ really _ felt much of anything. By that time, no one even bothered threatening me anymore. I had almost grown bored, day in and day out, of nothing noteworthy nor eventful. Days blurred into months of staring out a window aimlessly during my last year of elementary school.

Was it even normal to experience that type of boredom from everyday life at such a young age? It was a question I had asked myself more often than not in my younger years. For a while, I thought I might be depressed.

There came a turning point in my early life, when I recognized that I had become more or less desensitized to the normal fluctuations of human emotions. I found myself watching those around me go through their own various stages of growth throughout my school years. I watched as everyone went through changes I had already faced long ago. My brain was much farther developed, which forced me to find comfort in my own mind, feeling unable to reach out to others. It hadn't been jealousy I was experiencing, but I thought that I would have already found myself by then.

So I observed them instead, and learned the things I could not do on my own. That was when my interest piqued in people watching. Because  _ they _ could certainly feel, and  _ that  _ was captivating in itself.

After the typical bullying-to-show-dominance thing had ended halfway through my first term of middle school and everyone quieted down, I had more opportunities to further delve into my new hobby. It began with with noticing little things that made each individual in my classes different. Not standard things like hair or eye colour, but certain habits and traits unique to that student alone. I would pick favourites sometimes, if I got too carried away in my study.

I found myself smiling more. Even interacting like a normal child would. It was like a switch had flipped overnight. Things were starting to look up now, with my new, borderline obsession.

Slowly I began to crave the feeling of being surrounded by people beyond that of the average tendency. I viewed human observation the same way some enjoyed bird watching, to put it simply. At which point I attained something from what I presumed to be a purpose, that I envisioned myself dedicating my life to. I finally found the happiness I had been searching for.

That was, until the unlikely happened, and a certain someone interrupted my fantasies; harassing me into being vice president of some nonsensical club I didn't want any part of...However, in the end I decided to keep Shinra around. It wasn’t like he was ever going to leave me alone again, anyway, so I figured I could make use of him. At the very least, he was smart enough to respect my own interests, seemingly amused himself. As much as I hated to admit it, he was one of the humans I enjoyed learning the most from. Though, I'd never tell him.

At any rate, as those days grew on, I started creating my own reputation, spending the next few years building myself up for high school. I wasn’t a  _ bad _ student, per se, but I wasn’t a commendable  _ role model _ either. It didn't matter one way or the other, because by that time, I had already decided there were no such things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ people. I liked to think I lay somewhere in the middle, yet remaining above the rest.

Alas, my hard work had paid off handsomely when I entered the gates of Rajin High. Everyone either knew me or knew of my prestige. I had entered a domain where I was confident enough in my status to continue living my life as the same game with a different playing field, and above all else, with new, precious pawns. One I particularly dedicated every fiber of my being to, to make their life a living hell.

Everyone knew the rest that of that story though, that led us to this point.

It all started somewhere. I didn’t forget the first few years of my schooling career I spent training myself to never be sought out as weak. For a grade schooler, I gave myself many hardships to overcome as quickly as possible to build myself as a character. Someone invincible in the eyes of others. And  _ in  _ their eyes, I did it with ease. I was admirable. That’s what made the simple minded band-aid ripping and creepy smiling worth it.

Something must have stuck after all, to be here grinning at my own, self-ignited disarray in an otherwise empty hotel room.

_ Old habits die hard, I supposed _ .

In the back of my mind, I wished I could bury them six feet under at times like these. Moments that felt unsettling to smile at. Ideas that I should not, in any way, find delightful.

Finally, I frowned.

_ ‘I had to keep pretending to be the ‘flea’ you wanted me to be.’ _

_ ‘You molded me into the Izaya you wanted to see change.’ _

_ ‘That’s enough.’ _

_ ‘I won’t stop. Not now, not ever.’ _

_ ‘My work is never complete. Not until you either fall beneath me, or become the true monster you were meant to be.’ _

_ ‘It’s a shame I got tired before I could see you crumble more than you are now.’ _

_ ‘You’re lying!’ _

I ran my hands over my face and into my hair. The perpetual mantra of thoughts could not be silenced; every beat was another echo of cutting words, creating fresh wounds in my already fractured heart.

I knew I had been cruel, but I didn’t regret it. I knew that once those strings of words seeped through my lips, there was no going back. Those were my intentions. They were no laughing matter.

As I recalled my school life once again, I remembered that I had severed ties with many people in the past. People who were little nothings. Humans that I manipulated in the game of life, pitting each of them against one another on my own accord of amusement. No matter the outcome, I’d still walk away without batting an eye.

Yes, they were entertaining. Yes, it was fun while it lasted. But evidently, all good things ultimately wind up coming to an end, and I shortly discovered that that end, was indeed boredom.

So that’s what I decided to tell him. That’s what I figured would hurt the most, and it looked like it had, by his reaction. He believed it, so what did it matter if those words had any ounce of truth to them? Soon enough, things would go back to the way they were. The way things were supposed to be. Our game of cat and mouse would return from its long awaited hiatus, and all else would be forgotten. It would be simple; only black and white would return, because the grey meant nothing to begin with.

As much as I told myself these things, something still ate at the back of my mind. If this was what I wanted in the end, why did things seem even more cloudy now? I was certain that this was the only plausible option remaining; that this was the answer I needed to clear the barrier of fog obstructing my perception. The only  _ rational _ conclusion that would clip the ambience of uneasiness I had been feeling as of lately, away. Unfamiliar titillation that left me both on cloud nine, but gave dire awareness to my state of vulnerability. I felt stripped from my strengths I no longer recognized. After this, I’d have to build myself up higher, exceeding the level of security on my emotions. It would be a taller mountain to climb now, having tasted my own dose of what it felt like to be…

Was this the sense of humanity I had been missing before?

_No,_ I told myself. _It wasn’t. I was better than that._ _I wasn’t like them. I didn’t want this._

Don’t get me wrong, I embraced the abstract idea humanity and anyone who practiced it. One of the fundamental reasons I found humans to be so charming was because of their ability to easily confide their weaknesses in one another.

But  _ when _ , I asked myself, had I so blindedly allowed these various, substandard emotions to swallow me whole? The past two weeks were a blur of escalating events. Each day, becoming more of a challenge as I stepped deeper into unknown waters. I may live for the many thrills life had to offer, but even  _ I _ knew not to let myself be washed away by such impending  temptations.

And yet...

_ I wish I had never known what it felt like...to be in love… _

I rolled over onto my side to lay in fetal position, bringing my knees up to my chest.

The thought had been on my mind for some time now. That was what all of the evidence pointed to, anyway:  _ Love. _

I had studied it for a while in my years of observation. I believed it to be something of a cycle. It was simple.  _ Give  _ followed by  _ receive. _ The only deductive reasoning to be made, was simply benefitting from the counterpart. It was all for personal gain, was it not? Whether it was for the sex or the money, there was always something to attain. The idea of investing oneself into something deemed so serious for any other intangible pleasure hadn’t seemed likely. Humans were selfish, selfish beings, after all.

Now I wasn’t so sure if that was what I still thought. I had read books and poems, seen movies, heard of other stories regarding ‘love’, believing those were just myths of a forsaken ideal. Things like acceptance and nurturing, from genuine hospitality, was something made up in a fairytale. A universal objective that made one sleep better at night. It was something nearly everyone wished for, but impossible to obtain. I viewed it on the same token as a the existence of a deity or a god. The thought was there purely for comfort and nothing else. Much like love was.

But then before, why had I felt as if those characterizations of such an ornate concept could be reached out to and touched?

I couldn’t believe I had come to the conclusion, but how I felt fit perfectly into the philosophy called ‘love’.

In the end, that was what I decided to call it.

I had fallen hard, too. Too hard, in fact, that I had let myself get swept entirely off my feet...And by  _ him _ ?

I covered my face at the sheer embarrassment of it.

_ Damn you, stupid Shizu-chan... _

It was a good thing I did what I had. I still had time to climb back up and start over. I could recover from this. His hatred for me would start to boil again, and then-

And then...

A sinking feeling found its way into the pit of my stomach. An ominous thought washed over me, and my heart stopped beating for a moment.

_ What if these disgusting feelings... _ wouldn't  _ subside? _

I would be hated like I was all over again, and there was a sick, twisted possibility that it would be unrequited.

Before, the detestation was just  _ there _ because that’s just how it was. Now...Now there would be a reason for it. An awfully valid one at that.

I may have had some kind of grotesque attraction to him all along, but I thought surely after this, I could train myself to accept his malevolence; reciprocate it, even.

Panic was starting to set in that I had bet on the wrong outcome. I thought I had calculated everything.

I went so far as to narrow down all the possibilities of  _ his  _ various, unpredictable reactions. At least I would be able to build from those.

What I hadn’t counted on was my own discern for the result of the situation. I hadn’t added those unforeseeable odds into the equation, thinking that was just the logical thing to do.

I sat up straight, breathing heavily. My hand clutched the fabric over my chests and my head felt like it was spinning on it’s own axis. I needed to calm myself somehow. Collect myself.

In the corner of my eye, the window caught my attention. The last few moments of the brilliant sun was setting, reminding me with each passing day how it looked like it belonged on the front cover of a travel magazine. I would never be able to forget how the coral tones danced over the alabaster mountainsides that seemed endless. The bright blanket of snow shifted hues from orange, to red, to near-sudden darkness. By then, the sun had moved to greet the other side of the earth. With the light source gone, the outside remained magnificent even in its darkest hours.

If only we could all embody beauty in polar opposite conditions.

I felt my phone vibrate and my heart jolted to a halt. I could feel my nerves tightening as I reached for my device in uncertainty.

I managed to let out a sigh of relief when I saw the message was from Shinra.

 

Four Eyes : [ I know you're bored in there, Izaya. ]

 

An unamused expression made its way across my features. Just what was that supposed to mean?

My phone lit up again.

 

Four Eyes : [ It’s just me over here, don't worry :) ]

 

I rolled my eyes. Could he seriously be any more of a creep?

Even so, I decided almost instantly that I would go next door, solely for the purpose from further allowing myself to be alone with these recently brewing thoughts.  _ Not _ for actually wanting to be in Shinra’s company, of course.

I brought my laptop bag with me anyway, as I crossed the hall, tucking the spare room key in my pocket. I didn't even have to knock before my long-time acquaintance gleefully opened up with a smile.

“What took you so long? I thought I may have missed you leave when I blinked or something.”

“You were watching me through the peephole were you?” I eyed the door, then Shinra apathetically, letting myself in. “Why am I not surprised,”

He closed it gently behind me. “Make yourself comfortable, I'll get some tea ready. Do you prefer green or black?”

I looked around the room, still wary, but it really did seem like it was just Shinra here.

“Black is fine.”

I made my way over to the couch, finding an outlet to plug my PC into to charge. I caught a whiff of something as I walked past the small kitchen.

“What the hell are you doing?”

Shinra looked up from the miniature stove where he was boiling water for tea and one other pot full of whatever aroma was filling the room.

“Huh? I’m making tea like I said?” He obliviously replied, pushing up his glasses.

I ran a hand over my face in annoyance. “No, I mean that.” I walked over and pointed to the metallic pot that was boiling some kind of brown liquid with other mixed chunks of meat, vegetables and noodles.

“Oh, that! Well I decided since there was a kitchen, why not put it to use?”

“It looks like some sad excuse for makeshift ramen.”

He chuckled. “It’s not  _ that _ sad. I was able to find some ingredients downstairs in the cafeteria area when I was coming back from the pool. It caught my eye this morning...Still, I’m not usually the cook back home. Usually my beautiful roommate and future wife, Celty, is the one who does the cooking for me. She feeds me so well and makes sure I get all of my nutrients,” he sighed lovingly. “Say, I wonder if I tried resisting eating my vegetables, do you think she would feed me herself? Even if it was force feeding, I wouldn’t min-”

“Shinra, as disgusting as that is, and as much a I don’t care, I doubt she would bother,” I said flatly interrupting him and stopping the mental image right then and there.

“Haha, you’re right. I would never turn down anything she made for me. I know that she makes all of her dishes with love anyway, that’s why they are all so delicious~. Even if she doesn’t have a head or mouth to taste what she makes, you would never be able to tell from her wonderful culinary skills!”

I smirked sourly, “maybe she’s waiting for the opportune moment to poison you when you're least expecting it.”

Not that I thought it would, but it didn’t phase him when he simply smiled back. “As long as she’s the one to make my last meal, it really wouldn’t ma-”

“Your water is boiling now,” I said as I turned on my heel back to the couch.

Laying down and making myself comfortable like he insisted, I started up my laptop. He didn’t seem to mind, and he was remarkably silent after that. Fifteen or so minutes had passed, and he said nothing as he finished preparing the tea. He brought me my cup, gently placing the steaming china on the coffee table next to me. I didn’t bother looking up as I thanked him, but I did notice that he sat down where my feet were resting halfway across the sofa.

“I wonder what she’s doing back home,” he said in a much gentler voice.

I gazed above my laptop to see him staring down at his tea wearing a soft smile.

Shrugging my shoulders I answered the rhetorical question anyway. “Probably celebrating or enjoying the peace and quiet.”

He ignored my suggestion entirely. “Maybe she’s busy with work or cleaning up the place. She watches TV a lot, so she could be catching up on the shows she recorded. Since my dad is never home, she doesn’t have to worry about him trying to dissect her again,” he laughed inwardly.

There was a pause in between his next question.

“What is your family doing while you’re away?”

I met his gaze holding it for a breath before casting my vision downward once again. “They’re probably celebrating as well.”

Shinra outwardly chuckled this time.

“Ah, I forgot how dysfunctional your family is too. I’m sure they miss you though, even if you  _ are _ a nefarious sociopath with no sense of morals and have a repulsive personality.”

He was smiling thoughtfully as he recited the insults. I returned a smirk.

“If you keep saying such hateful things to me, Shinra, you might end up hurting my feelings or something~.”

I had known the bespectacled boy almost half my life. It was sortof an ongoing joke of abusive banter that had carried its way through our twisted friendship since middle school. Neither of us really got offended, per se, we were just brutally honest in the most incivility of ways. Some people just didn’t understand that.

“Ne, Izaya…”

There was another pause as I watched Shinra find the words he was looking for.

“A long time ago…Do you remember when we used to spend the afternoons at our biology club in middle school?”

My brow quirked in interest at the memory.

“You mean where we would waste hours of our lives staying after school doing anything  _ but _ studying biology?” I smirked.

He seemed to find the recollection amusing as well.

“It was just the two of us, after all, what was to be expected?” I said, finally shutting the monitor of my laptop to give him my full attention. I rested my head atop my propped hand as I lounged back on the sofa. “How could I forget such good times?”

Shinra, now looking more delighted and less forlorn smiled happily back at me. “I think about those days more and more often now...Since our final school year is coming to a close and all.”

I found it odd for him to bring up something relatively serious without purpose, so I let him continue.

“Do you remember that one day we stayed in school during our summer vacation and you talked about watching my corpse rot and said you would exhibit it during the school’s Cultural Festival?”

“Reminiscing are we? Are you asking me to put you on display once Celty poisons you?” I chuckled.

“Not like that,” he waved, smiling nonetheless. “Do you remember what we talked about that day?”

“Hmm…” I brought a hand up to my chin to think. As far as I recalled, we spent most of our time skipping class and watering plants. Trying to recollect a specific conversation out of the many wasn't likely. “You’ll have to give me a hint. Sorry, Shinra, but I was so busy fulfilling the many duties as Vice President, I seem to have forgotten the  _ one _ time you planned on quizzing me eight years later.”

His tone wasn't as light-hearted as I thought I'd be. “I asked you, that if it was normal to love humans, but abnormal to love anything else, where do we draw the line?”

“Ah, your confession about loving an unrotting zombie. I suppose you were referring to Celty, back then, weren't you?”

He nodded. “Remember what your answer was?”

My expression changed to more of a disinterested one. “Obviously, my answer from then doesn't matter anymore. Things have changed,” I replied flatly.

“So you  _ do  _ remember then?” he exclaimed, leaning in to catch my visage.

I, in turn, leaned away. “I never said that I did. How am I supposed to keep track of every little detail of our past conversations, hm? Do you expect me to just file them away until you want to play twenty questions with me?”

“Then let me refresh your memory,” he cleared his throat before sitting up straighter, closing his eyes. “‘I don’t think it matters then, what kind of person you fall in love with, as long as you don't hurt others’.”

I could feel my teeth grind as he recited my answer from long ago word for word. He opened his eyes and looked down at me expectantly.

“So now you’re the one filing quotes of  _ mine  _ away? Make sure you cite me if you decide to use that advice on anyone else.”

“I remember it because it really stuck with me all these years. You were the first person I asked about my abnormal love, and you answered it honestly to the best capability of your understanding. It was probably the most truthful thing you've said to me during the entire span of our friendship,” he chuckled.

I crossed my arms over my chest, unaware as to why I suddenly felt defensive.

“So now you're being sentimental?”

He shook his head. “Nah. I just think about it from time to time. It’s kind of refreshing advice, isn't it? To feel like I'm not being completely judged.”

I turned to him, my tone more serious. “What are you getting at?”

He shrugged, thumbing the lip of his teacup in his hands. “I don't think I'm the only one it applies to, is all, really.”

I felt my body tense but I tried not to let it show. This was just another reminder of how much of a snake Shinra could be.

“Don’t tell me you're actually using my own advice against me?” I scoffed to cover the way my voice threatened to shake.

Suddenly the brunette stood up, giving me one last thoughtful smile before walking over to the stove. I eyed him carefully.

“It’s not up to me to decide what you choose to do.” His shoulders relaxed from behind as he stirred his boiling dinner. “I’ve known you for so long, even  _ I _ know what little impact I have on your decisions. You’ve always done what you wanted to, anyway.”

“But of course,” I grinned ruefully. “I can’t have those around me holding me back, now can I?”

“It’s probably not my place to say this, but…” his voice trailed into thought. “Hmm...I just think that it’s about time you stop hurting yourself over love,” he finished bluntly.

I was thankful his back was to me, missing the way my eyes widened like saucers and colour drained from my face.

“S-Shinra,” I feigned a chuckle. “You can’t be serious?”

This time when he turned around, I could see the determination in his resolved stare. He crossed his arms, spoon in one hand, looking as if he were about to scold me.

“For someone as intelligent as you are, you certainly do the stupidest things.”

The seriousness in his voice took me aback. “I beg your pardon?” I scoffed, raising an eyebrow.

“You know what I’m talking about. I’ve known the both of you for a fair portion of my life, Izaya. You can’t really  _ hide  _ these things from me.” He pinched the bridge of his nose, causing his glasses to sit eskew. “It’s been  _ years _ and you still plan on keeping this up?” His eyes looked like they were pleading for an answer.

All I could do was sit silently and watch my long time friend finally crack.

“You may not act like it, but you’re nearly an adult. Can’t you just accept that you have feelings for Shizuo, already?” He threw his hands exasperatedly in front of him as if to further convey the statement.

A cold tremor ran down my spine and I felt each individual blood cell freeze. It was as if time itself had stopped at the weight of his words. The moment had finally come, where I was being faced with the definitive question I had been running away from since I could remember. Hearing the challenge echo aloud the quiet room was bone-chilling. I had only ever imagined asking myself the proposition, each time smothering my emotions and denying the whole thing altogether. I supposed it could only go on for so long, though.

Neither of us said anything for a while, our gazes candidly watching the other. I knew my eyes were still wide in surprise at his accusation by the way his body language softened after a period of unsettling silence.

“I mean, come on…” he sighed, tender-heartedly this time. “As your friend, I just want you to be happy.”

My grip loosened at my sides as I subconsciously relaxed into the couch at the now soothing tone of his voice. I turned away to break the eye contact we had been unnecessarily holding when we both knew neither was going to speak first. My lips pinched into an indifferent line as my ambient gaze fell on nothingness across the room. I didn’t trust myself to say anything until my rapidly palpitating heart had eased some and I had collected my thoughts.

The bespectacled male seemed to understand nonetheless and returned back to preparing his meal.

_ Some friend you are… _

I had to give Shinra some credit, though. He was far more observant than what lay above the surface. Sometimes it was rather frightening how much he  _ did _ know, and I wouldn’t deny that most times he hit the nail right on the head. It bugged me how easily he could practically figure things out before the situation had even occurred _.  _ That took remarkable skill in itself.

When the brunette had first introduced himself, I merely waved it off as some loser trying to gain popularity. To my surprise, I had been far from the truth. He was intelligent, cunning, twisted, and a downright sadistic individual...Yet, the closest person I could rely on as a best friend. No matter what kind of chaos came with associating with me, he didn’t seem to be all that effected by it. He was accepting; probably the most accepting person I’d ever meet, and that deserved the right credibility.

As I pondered our friendship more, I accepted that yes, Shinra did in fact, know me better than anyone else out  of our friends’ circle. I also knew it to be true that he was one of the very few, if not the only person whom I've entrusted any sort of personal secret or information with. That being said, I had purposefully  _ allowed  _ him to know such things about myself because of our unusual bond. He was there when I needed him to be, and he was honest, whether or not I asked for an opinion.

I had to believe he  _ did  _ only wish the best for me, otherwise he wouldn't be bluntly accusing me of such taboo assumptions that never managed to surface in our long-term relationship to begin with. Maybe he always presumed that that knowledge was prohibited from conversation. Or perhaps, he simply had the intellect to know he’d never get a direct answer out of me.

Yet here I was, finally under the spotlight of interrogation he’d kept bottled up to himself for years.

I sighed audibly.

“Shinra, you know I can't  _ just _ accept it. You should realize that more than anyone else.”

He stopped stirring for no more than a second when I finally responded. I didn't wait for a reply, I just kept speaking my mind-something that I really should never do.

“Part of me has, and part of me hasn't yet. I'll admit…”

I had to steady my breathing before the words finally, once and for all, left my lips. “I admit that I feel strongly towards Shizuo, and that I probably always have...I just haven't settled on which feeling it truly is.”

I could feel Shinra grinning from across the room, but he fabricated an even tone. “Well, are there any feelings in particular you may have narrowed it down to?”

…

...

“...Unfortunately.”

He gave in and chuckled. “Seriously, Izaya, you're so egotistical.” He turned towards the bar at the counter and set two full bowls of his creation down. “Let's eat.”

I gathered myself enough to move lethargically over towards the kitchen, sitting down in front of what I guessed was going to be my steaming dinner.

“Thank you for the food.”

The soup he had prepared wasn't terrible, but I could tell it definitely wasn't a skill he practiced often. My stomach didn't seem to care either way, since I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I was halfway to the bottom.

“There’s really nothing to be ashamed of, you know. It's kindof a normal thing, to be in love.”

The brunette sat back in his chair across the counter, crossing his arms and looking at me expectantly.

I lowered my spoon before challenging him back.

“Well not all of us can flaunt our feelings willy-nilly like you do. You're actually a prime example of the  _ last _ thing I'd want to become.”

He smiled his care-free smile back at me. “Funny for you to say that, since you've actually made more progress in your bizarre romance than I have.”

I froze noticeably so, and felt my body start to heat up.

“What is that supposed to mean, exactly?” I dared ask.

His smile switched into his other shit-eating grin that I was also familiar with.

“Oh, you know  _ exactly _ what I mean.”

My grip tightened on my silverware and my eyes narrowed.

The devil himself leaned in, eyes gleaming perversely. His voice lowered as he spoke. “How does it feel, Izaya, to finally have found a challenge you'll never be able to top?”

If I had a tenth of the brute’s strength, my spoon would have snapped in half instantly. Instead, much less intimidatingly, I felt all the blood in my body rush to my face and my teeth grind together.

The brunette threw his head back cackling to the point where he was nearly wiping tears away.

I closed my eyes, stemming all of my anger into a comeback. “Well, Shinra, if you  _ really  _ insist on knowing, I can fill you in on all the  _ juicy  _ details,” I said through a clenched jaw.

“Oh no, no, that's okay,” he said waving his hands between us, his laughter finally subsiding. “I don't really have an interest in my best friends’ sex lives.”

I couldn't help but facepalm. What had I seriously just done?

“Although,” he smirked, “at least now I'm sure it wasn't just the alcohol influencing you two.”

“What?” I raised my eyebrow skeptically.

“Yeah, when you left we were actually kind of worried,” he remembered, suddenly more serious. “We thought for sure this would stir up some, ehem, issues…”

“Issues?” I repeated, seemingly unamused.

“Well, you never know,” he shrugged. “Liquor makes you do stuff you might regret later. But it seems like things are fine, so that's a headache and jail time saved, at least.”

_ You don't even  _ know  _ regret. _

“You just  _ assume _ things are fine?”

He looked back at me confused. “I mean...obviously? You didn't kill each other today, and you acted relatively civil. Not to mention you two getting pretty cozy in the shower together earlier, ” he added, grinning again.

Just when I thought the worst was over, my face flushed immediately again, only this time I had to keep my composure and not let the mortification show.

“Shinra.” I spoke calmly. “Tell me you didn't-”

“Oh, I did.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose at the awkwardness that this conversation had led to. Not that the other seemed to mind.

“I’m not even going to ask  _ WHY _ you were looking in the first place, you pervert-but it's not like we were even  _ doing _ anything!” I exclaimed in defense.

“Really? Because from what I saw, you were both nake-”

“Okay! That's enough! Just-erase that mental image from your brain forever, thank you.” I retorted, completely out of my normal character. I slumped in my chair.

The person who I claimed to be my best friend, just saw Shizuo and I...naked. In a shower. Together. Not to mention, in public.

_ Great. Now he's going to start assuming I have some abhorrent fetishes... _

He snickered to himself again. I knew he had never seen me in such a state before, so he was trying to enjoy every second of it. I should have known this was coming.

“What’s this? You feel remorse  _ and  _ embarrassment? That's like two new character features unlocked, and to think it’d be all in the same day!”

“Shut up, Shinra.”

“Okay, I'm done.”

We finished our meals in silence, but would occasionally meet the other’s gaze.

_ Some best friend you are, bastard. _

There was a knock on the door when we were busy cleaning up, but no one needed to answer it when Kadota let himself in with his key. Behind him, followed Erika, Yumasaki and Togusa carrying plastic bags.

“You're back!” The bespectacled man next to me chirped.

“Yo.”

“Ehh? Izaya is here with you?” a feminine voice rang beside him.

“The one and only,” I chimed, feigning an award-winning smile. I'd have to push aside the dinner conversation for now and act like nothing happened.

“We wondered where you went,” Kadota said, putting a grocery bag down. In it were candies and other assorted snacks. “We were thinking of having a movie night.”

Next to him, Yumasaki clapped his hands together. “I picked up a couple of DVD’s from Animate before we left town.” He continued to ramble excitedly on about his purchases but no one, aside from Erika who was nodding intently beside him, listened.

“Where’s Shizuo? Is he not with you?”

My stomach flipped at the abruptness of his name. I felt a sudden panic within me, thinking I might see him so soon after sharing such a sensitive topic with Shinra.

“Oh, Shizuo? Well, he went out to dinner…” Erika replied, but something felt off in her response.

“To dinner? You mean by himself?” the brunette asked quizzically.

“You don't know? I thought he would have said something to you...” 

The girl was looking at me with the same confusion we were feeling.

“We saw him and my roommate walking together. They said they were going to go eat.”

I felt the feeling of sinking dread wash over me.

“Something about him being dehydrated or whatever,” Togusa added, but it fell on deaf ears.

My mind was stuck on rewind that Shizuo was out with someone _else._ A _woman_ nonetheless.

I felt like I might throw up. My knees were weak and I had to grab onto the counter for balance. My eyes couldn't focus on the floor beneath me and started seeing double.

“You okay, man?”

I was startled by a hand on my shoulder and the low of Dotachin’s voice.

“I’m-”

Shinra met my gaze when I looked back up and I could see the concern in his eyes. What made things worse was that it wasn't just me thinking it.

“Are you sure they were going to dinner? Did they say where?” he asked, turning back to her again.

The brunette girl shrugged, “they didn't say. My roommate just kind of grabbed his hand and they started walking towards the cafe area.”

I definitely thought I was going to hurl now. Between the chest pains, dizziness and nausea, I felt like I would collapse at any second.

“Izaya, you don't look so good,” Kadota insisted.

If I didn't act now, someone might catch on to my sudden change in character.

I swallowed dryly before I spoke.

“I think...Shinra tried to poison me.”

“Eh?!” I heard him swear on the other side of the kitchen.

“That ramen you made-” I clenched my fist, forcing myself to speak. “Was disgusting.”

“Ehh?!? But I thought you liked it?” he said, and sounded forlorn.

_ Take a hint, moron. _

“No. It was gross. I think I need medicine.” I hissed through my teeth.

_ That _ seemed to do the trick, and the lightbulb finally went off.

“O-oh, yeah, I think I have something for nausea in my medical bag. It's in the bathroom.” He took my hand and marched me there, closing the door.

He turned to face me with a mixed expression. “What's going on?” he demanded.

“How the hell should I know?!” I snapped in a whisper.

He thought carefully before he decided on what to ask next. “Did something happen after I left the locker room?”

“Ugh, that again?”

“Well, did it?” he insisted.

“Yes, yes,” I said looking away, and bringing my hands up to my temples. The oncoming migraine was rapidly approaching. “I basically told him to fuck off-”

“Izaya! That's not how you treat your significant other!”

Taken aback, I looked at him feeling insulted.

“Shinra, first of all, we aren't an  _ item.  _ Secondly, he told me he didn't see me any differently!”

We were whispering angrily back at each other.

“Huh?”

“He told me that he sees me the same as he did before we even arrived at this fucking resort. ‘The same flea’ as always,” I mocked in my annoying Shizu-chan voice.

“Izaya, I don't think that's what he meant,” he tsked.

“No, he made it clear to me by apologizing...Besides,” I croaked, “you know it was all one sided anyway.” My voice cracked at the truth of the statement. I hadn't realized how much it would hurt to hear the words aloud.

My friend put his hands on my shoulders to steady me as he looked me in the eye. His grey orbs held sternness to them, begging me not to give up.

“Listen to me. I've known you both long enough to tell that it wasn't one sided. Trust me.” He said the words with such certainty, but I couldn't believe them.

I shook my head. “If that's the case, why is he seeing other people now? Because he’s been laid once, does he all the sudden have the confidence to find another person to-”

I couldn't bare to finish the sentence.

Shinra lowered his head with a sigh. “Let's not jump to any conclusions. Like I said, for someone so smart, you can be really dumb. Give Shizuo more credit, you know he isn't like that.” He met my cold, distant gaze once again. “You  _ know _ he's not, Izaya. You always make fun of him for being ‘loyal like a dog’ anyway, don't you? That didn't just change overnight...If I had to bet, he's probably talking to someone else about how much of an asshole you are for throwing him to the curb again.”

His words surprised me. I hadn't thought of that. However, as I weighed the possibilities, there was another red flag that came up.

“Nonetheless, he could have been with a guy and decided he didn't like it, so now he's solely interested in women,” I stated, trying not to sound as hurt as I was.

“Well,” the brunette paused and straightened. “I won't say that it's not a possibility, but don't let your mind make that decision. Ask him yourself before you do anything rash.”

I could slowly feel my shock and sadness transitioning to anger. Anger I hadn't known existed within me before.

“I’m leaving,” I stated.

“Wait, what?”

“I’m going to look for him then,” I growled, shrugging his comforting hand away.

“I don't think that's a good idea-”

“You said it yourself earlier; you don't really have an influence on the decisions I make. I always do what I want in the end.”

His darkened eyes narrowed this time. “Well for once maybe you should listen to me.”

“I’m not just going to sit around and do nothing!” I tried walking g past him but he stopped me.

“Izaya, I don't want you…” his voice trailed off, finding the words. “Seeing something you shouldn't.”

The suffocating feeling returned again and a chill ran through my body. The air felt like it had been knocked from my lungs as I thought of the hundreds of possibilities of what I might see tonight.

I waited for him to say something else. I waited for that reassurance to come again, but it never did.

I pulled myself away from his hold and opened the door. “See you later, Shinra.”

Not bothering to acknowledge the other guests in the room, I headed straight out of the hotel room into the hallway. I walked slowly at first, letting the motion carry me as the mantra repeated in my head.

“ _ I don't want you seeing something you shouldn't.” _

Suddenly there were trails of dampness running down my cheeks. I irritably wiped away the wetness with my sleeve, breaking into a run.

_ Dammit, I won't lose you this time. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the long chapter and all the angst along with it. I've been listening to several songs from the Durarara!! OST and that heavily influenced my mood while writing this. I think I'm going to do that for a majority of my future chapters now since it really helps set the tone. I really wanted to pull at your heartstrings with the flashbacks, because even I was feeling emotional referring back to them (and adding my own). I hope I wasn't too OOC for the situation, but if I was I hope you liked it nonetheless?  
> Next time is Shizuo's chapter with Vorona, so that should be a good change in mood from this rather dreary chapter.  
> Thank you again for reading and leaving all your kudos and comments! Until next time~

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, more chapters to come soon!


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